Deus Machina
by VampireQueenAkasha
Summary: Post DoTM. AU: What would have happened had the Autobots never been successful in stopping the arrival of Cyberton? Read and find out.
1. Prologue

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had succeeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

_"Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Prologue**

It was over.

Despite how much we had put in to it, it was over.

Optimus was gone and so was the Earth and with it, humankind. I thought I could stop it. I thought that he was capable of being more than just a messenger, but I was wrong. I was so very wrong. I saw their world die that day. I saw it crumble to pieces.

It was never meant to be like this.

Optimus was gone. I watched Sentinel stick his sword right through his chest with one final blow. Megatron sat by and just laughed at the sight of Optimus bleeding his life away and his spark going dark. Sentinel said nothing after that. He just stood quietly over Optimus' corpse.

For a moment, I could almost see the regret there in his eyes. The shame and the pity for what he felt was necessary to win this ancient war. Then, it was gone and only the darkness remained. The darkness that had taken hold and corrupted the one we once thought of as our teacher. Then, he addressed the Decepticon troops and told them to prepare for the New Age, the dawn of Cybertron's rebirth. I should have been happy to see my home again, but all I felt was despair.

The mass exodus of the human race took a few long months to complete. Some tried to hide underground to avoid being taken away; it didn't matter. They were eventually found and taken. Some were separated in the chaos and many died trying to fight back. It was a blood bath. I literally saw rivers and streams fill with the blood of the dead and the wounded. No one was safe from them. Not a single person alive.

When we eventually arrived at Cybertron, we stepped into darkness; cold and unwelcoming darkness of the past. I remembered this world from the past when it had been filled with life. It brought tears to my eyes when I remembered that younglings once walked these streets, when brother had never slaughtered brother for power. When we spoke of peace, of happiness and even so, the glory of our race. But those days seem like a long - forgotten, childish memory now.

It hurt me to think that Sentinel had planned this from the start; that he had crouched, conspired and plotted with Megatron for the inevitable day of our downfall. A Prime had become so corrupted by his own hatred, his own pride and arrogance that he no longer stood as the protector, the guardian that we had once loved. No, that Cybertronian was gone. Who stood before us was a stranger. I didn't know him any longer.

The humans were separated according to strength, skill and ability. Their past lives no longer mattered and they were often mocked because of their feeble attempt to stay attached to them. They had become lifeless, meaningless shells to him who did nothing but work to rebuild Cybertron - the very planet that had been felled by our own hands. They suffered day after day because of our sins. All I could do was watch. I was a slave as well; a slave for my beliefs. A slave for choosing the side of humankind.

Earth had fallen as well. The oceans had dried up and became a dead, empty sea; the lands had become dry and with it, all life. Earth once sung a beautiful song from space, now it is a silent dead neighbor of Cybertron. When I look up into the sky, I am reminded every waking hour of our failures.

Sentinel gave a speech that same day. He told us all that we would rebuild our world where there would be no room for the humans except to serve us. We must put away our hatred for one another and our weapons and that we should cast out the past that had separated us. For in this new world order, we would be united.

Cybertron has witnessed the rebirth. But at what cost?


	2. P1

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had succeeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

_"Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part One**

_Iacon City_

The sun was missed the most.

The cold, bitter air of the city served to be the only form of comfort while hundreds of humans worked and sweat in the construction zones. Decepticons overlooked the entire production. Some of the humans were shot at with lasers if they slowed down while others were mercilessly kicked. Laserbeak and various winged Decepticons perched over jagged tips that were built to serve as fences to keep the humans from fleeing.

Every human among the crowd wore violet, glowing collars around their necks that had a nasty little trick built in to prevent humans from escaping. Should they even attempt it, the collars were programmed to self destruct if ever the human stepped out of their range. They also had numbers marked into their wrists. Though a few of them were marked with Cybertronian letters on their arms, spelling out Decepticon names.

"Faster, swine!" a Decepticon shrieked at the human work force, "Work faster!"

Among them was former Sergeant Epps. He scowled up at the shouting Decepticon and muttered to Lennox passing a heavy sheet of metal. "I wish someone would shut his big ass up ... " he muttered, "I'm gettin' real sick of listening to this shit."

Lennox grunted sharply, turning to a rope that acted as a pulley to lift rocks and supplies to those above. "Keep it cool, Epps." he warned.

The Decepticon was thick and heavily armored and he resembled the M1 Abrams tank that they had fought in Mission City so many years ago. Though this one had jagged mandibles and long, dangerous fingers. He had been shouting for what felt like hours and Epps was slowly losing his patience.

The working class failed to see the shape of a woman standing at the peak of the tower. Many workers chose to ignore her as she stepped toward the edge. Her eyes were lifeless and filled with a look that carried the end. She slowly stared down at the world below and what it would bring for her. It would bring her destruction, but also peace. The collar around her neck beeped several times rapidly, mimicking her frightened heartbeat.

Finally, she closed her eyes and jumped off.

Various workers looked up and spotted the plummeting human shape and gasped in horror. Decepticons watching just laughed cruelly and murmured clicks and sneers in fragments of Cybertronian as she contacted the ground in a spray of blood. Screams filled the air from various workers and Decepticons surged into the construction zone to push them aside with furious snarls and hisses. The humans scrambled to get back onto their feet. Some had been splattered with the blood and gore.

"Get back to work!" Laserbeak hissed from above.

"And clean up that mess!" the M1 Abrams Decepticon spat.

While they quickly hurried to gather hoses and scrub brushes, Epps and Lennox watched as the chunks of flesh and bone were washed away with the water. It was not an uncommon sight these days to see someone take their own life, but it didn't make it any less horrible to witness.

"She just jumped ... " Epps said, his voice tense.

Lennox nodded and bent down to see the number on the dismembered limb of the woman's wrist. Epps stared at his friend worriedly.

"Is it her?" he asked.

Lennox squinted. "It's the symbol for the medical class," he said, "But the number's not the same. It's not Sarah." He clenched his fists and lowered his head. "It's not Annabelle either. She's not the right age. It's not either one of them."

Epps nodded his head, though he still looked disturbed. "They wouldn't do that, Lennox.; not go out like that. Not her. You know them."

Lennox looked up at his friend with his face a rigid mask of pain. "I know. I know. But it's getting worse every day. I have to wonder."

Epps nodded his head. "Yeah. Shit's getting fucked up." he agreed, "I wonder what went through her mind when she jumped, man."

One of the men working the hose glared back at him. "Probably that screw driver buried several inches in her skull ... " he muttered.

Meanwhile, Sam was hurrying down the halls of the Tower of Pion, pushing a cart towering with metallic crates and glass bottles. He frantically moved passed several humans and Cybertronians and made his way to Megatron's throne room. The door roared open and Sam quickly hurried inside. Starscream was standing crouched in the corner and he appeared to be watching his wrist, no doubt keeping track of the time that it had been for him to arrive. He smirked cruelly when Sam appeared, practically breathless.

"Your timing is impeccable, slave," Starscream sneered.

Sam noticed the warlord sitting at his throne and he was relieved to see Carly there as well, bent over and polishing the place of which he sat. She smiled weakly at him and waved as Sam pushed the cart up to the two Cybertronians. The mark that bound her to the services of Megatron specifically could be seen through her ankle.

"Excellent," Megatron said, reaching down to take one of the containers, "I was waiting for this."

Sam gave Megatron and Starscream a respectable bow. "Silverbolt says it's the freshest he's every made. Only the best for Lord Megatron and Lord Starscream."

_I hope you choke on it and die, bastards,_ he thought, disgusted.

Starscream smirked coldly at Sam, grabbing one of the containers for himself. "How does it feel, worm?" he sneered, bending down to Sam, "Bound in service to the one you tried to kill! Forever shamed because of your failures!"

The constant reminder of his failure was looked upon with disappointment by his fellow humans who were familiar with his actions. Then again, another unpleasant reminder was when he looked in the mirror and saw only one eye looking back at him. Starscream had spent the time getting "payback" for what Sam had done to his optic by stabbing it out. It was hell enough seeing through only one good eye, but sometimes he would get jokes from others about it.

Sam forced a smile and his effort was painful. "It's a honor."

Starscream laughed wickedly and guzzled down the contents of the container. Megatron looked annoyed by his actions and stood up, giving his subordinate a swift kick to his legs, nearly toppling him over in the process.

"Starscream! Go and see what's keeping the others!" he snapped, gesturing with one long finger.

Starscream smirked coldly in response. "As you wish, Lord Megatron." he sneered.

Carly watched as Megatron took a spot in his throne again. She smiled sweetly at him. "You have such a way of carrying your power, Lord Megatron," she told him. "It's no wonder they respect and fear you."

Megatron nodded and his claws made metallic snicking sounds. "Indeed. But they must be reminded of their loyalty once in a while."

Carly nodded her head and stepped down from the throne. "Is there anything else I can do for you, my lord?" she asked.

Megatron waved her off with a broad sweep of his hand. "No. You are dismissed," he said, "Be gone."

She gave him a bow and took Sam's arm, practically dragging him with her. They entered the halls and when they were out of earshot, Sam whispered sidelong to her with dismay in his voice.

"It's so good to see the two of you have bonded throughout this nightmare," he snapped.

Carly sighed impatiently. "Do you think I like catering to his whims?" she asked, "I don't. I do it to stay alive. So long as he gets his daily dose of ass kissery, I'm never harmed. In fact, he makes sure the other Decepticons don't go near me."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm happy for you. Meanwhile Starscream gets his jollies out of making me his pincushion; he constantly reminds me of my failures. Sound familiar to you?"

Carly nodded and smiled with an embarrassed look to follow. "Starscream's always been Megatron's footstool. Now that he has you, he can vent his frustrations out easily."

"Hah! I'm glad to be his therapy. Really, I am ..."

A few feet down the hallway, Brains and Wheelie slid up to them.

"Hey! Sammy! Blondie!" Wheelie said, "You guys need to come quick. They're lining up the newbies."

Brains nodded and made a cutting gesture. "Yeah. Probably sending the weak ones to the chopping block!"

Sam and Carly followed the two smaller Cybertronians out into the courtyards where many humans had been lined up. Sam could see Charlotte Mearing among the crowd in the front row. She was shaking and looked terrified. Sam could see that she had no markings of ownership on her yet. Standing in front was Sentinel Prime and Soundwave. Sam could also see Ratbat there; he was a new, smaller Decepticon who was about as tall as Alice - the Decepticon who had tried to tongue him. He knew that Ratbat often monitored the health and physical conditions of the slaves to make sure that they were perfectly healthy for work. Sam was never too sure what he transformed into, but based on the chrome body and jagged wings, he only guessed that he was a flyer.

Sentinel looked at Soundwave. "We've got a lot of new workers here in this district, make sure that they get it: we stop for nothing, and no one," he told the Decepticon.

Soundwave nodded his head and turned his attention to the watching humans. "If this is your first selection, then listen carefully!" he announced, "We will select new humans capable of potential breeding. Should you prove yourselves healthy and fit by our doctor here, then you will be taken to the medical wing. Some of you may be chosen for simpler tasks in the offices or in munitions, but it is work nevertheless. And you had better keep up; should you slow down in any way, you will be terminated or punished without mercy."

The humans shivered with fright; others looked disgusted and angry while some whispered to one another, worried. Ratbat passed by the row of humans and surveyed each one. When he was satisfied, he would push them aside toward a serpent - like Decepticon with a paper - thin body and small, jagged antennae around its face. It had a single optic that flashed red and one enormous set of talons on a spindle - shape tail. When the human would walk up, the Decepticon would stamp their wrists with a print, marking them for their working class. It was painful and agonizing, but they endured it for it would not be the worst thing to come.

"Age?" Ratbat groused, in a deep, rough voice to one of the humans.

A woman was shivering and met his blood red gaze. "I-I'm seventeen," she stammered.

Ratbat nodded and surveyed her for a moment. He literally started to give her a physical by roughly moving her head from side - to - side and testing the size and shape of her hips. The entire time, the woman was shuddering and whimpering under the cold, cruel stare of the doctor and his frigid touch. Eventually, he nodded his approval toward the snake Decepticon and announced her place before turning to another.

"Breeding!" he said.

The woman shivered with fright and was pushed toward the Decepticon. Sentinel watched the sight with a smile of approval. "Superior ability breeds superior ambition." he said, "How often mankind has wished for a world as peaceful and secure as the one I have provided." He paused briefly and his optics fell onto Charlotte Mearing. After a long moment of silent contemplation, he leaned forward to Soundwave and whispered something to him.

Sam and Carly weren't sure what he was talking about to the Mercedes, but it couldn't have been anything very good if Soundwave was grinning now. The Decepticon called out to the crowd. "Charlotte Mearing?" he shouted.

No reply.

"CHARLOTTE MEARING! STEP FORWARD!" Soundwave bellowed.

After a tense moment, Mearing took a shaking step forward out of the crowd. Soundwave bent forward and he picked up a roster chart from his hands, scrolling down the list of Cybertronian warriors until he stopped at one in particular.

"It would see we have a commander without his own personal slave," Soundwave hissed, "Sentinel Prime believes that you would be perfect for him."

Mearing lifted her head up. Sam almost felt bad for her. She was once a proud, strong woman on Earth. Here she was a shivering, fearful servant about to be placed with someone who would probably torture and kill her.

"Wh - Who?" she asked, her voice sounding small.

"Shockwave," Sentinel answered for her.

Wheelie and Brains gasped in shock.

"Well, see ya'," Wheelie told the woman, waving her off, "Have a nice life ... Whatever's left of it."

Sam and Carly watched as Mearing made every attempt to look brave. Wheelie and Brains were not helping matters by humming a morose tune together.

"Who is Shockwave?" she asked.

Wheelie shook his head and patted her knee. "Let me tell ya' a story, kid," he told the woman, "I had a big guy I hung around with early in the war," He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Not too bright either. What was his name again? Uh ... Grimbox ... nah, that wasn't it. Grimmy? Nope. Oh yeah! Grimlock! Yeah."

Mearing raised a brow. "Grimlock?"

Wheelie laughed. "Yeah! Boy was he a few shells shy of a magazine. But he knew how to knock some heads together."

"So what happened to him?"

Wheelie's metallic eyebrows moved downward in a sad grimace. "Oh that Shockwave messed him up good. Have you ever seen a CD fry in a microwave? It ain't pretty." He pointed a finger at her now. "Shockwave don't mess around. He don't take no crap from nobody or their mouth. One bad word and - " He made a cutthroat gesture and pretended to be dying a few times. " - right into the smelting pit you go."

Brains nodded in agreement. "I seen it happen. Not pretty."

Mearing shook her head desperately. "I - I can't go with that one!" she protested, staggering back until she fell flat on her back. "Why would Sentinel put me with him?"

Sam sighed and helped her stand onto her feet. "Sentinel obviously hates your guts, Mearing!" he snapped, "He's doing this because you treated him disrespectfully back at NEST headquarters. Don't you remember?"

Mearing shuddered and nearly screamed. "I was just doing my job!"

"That doesn't matter anymore," Carly told her gently, "You're a slave now."

Mearing moaned and covered her face with one hand. "Oh God ... "

Carly smiled and attempted to comfort her. "I've seen him a few times when he's come to talk to Megatron, Charlotte," she told her, "Wheelie's right; he's not one for disobedience or foolishness. If you just do what he says and don't talk back, you'll stay alive." She took a deep inhale. "They're going to mark you once Shockwave accepts. You'll have his name imprinted on your body and then he'll put you to work. That's all that happens."

Mearing managed a weak smile, though she still looked sick.

Sentinel stepped up and glared at them. "Return to your duties, slaves," he commanded, "This one is coming with me."

Mearing immediately followed Sentinel, giving the others one final look before she disappeared out into the night.

O

Mearing made every attempt to keep up with Sentinel as he led her down the dark, eerie corridors of the strange tower. She almost wished that she had been "claimed" by one of the others. Wheelie had told her a lot about Shockwave and from her understanding, he was considered to be dangerous, even by Decepticon standards. Sentinel was doing this to her because of how she had spoken to him at the NEST facility. Mearing had to admit even to herself that it had been a mistake.

They stepped through an open door where she noticed a massive, towering hulk standing over a table, static spitting off of his gray and purple body, casting a disturbing glow over his rigid frame. Mearing's eyes went wide; he was HUGE!

"Shockwave," Sentinel said, in a gruff, unfriendly voice.

The sparks stopped and the hulk turned. Mearing noticed that he had some kind of welding tool in his hand and he was working on what appeared to be remnants of that horrible Drilling machine that he had commanded in Chicago.

_What's left of it, anyway,_ she thought, bitterly.

"Shockwave, I have a gift for you," Sentinel told him, gesturing down to Mearing, "A servant for your laboratories."

Immediately, Shockwave's single, menacing eye leered down at her. Mearing stood straight and tall, making herself seem respectable as Carly had instructed. The strange mandibles of his mouth seemed to click and move briefly in apparent thought before he turned his attention back to his work.

"I don't need her," he answered.

Mearing practically winced. His voice reminded her of the sound of metal scraping against metal.

Sentinel didn't seem to be affronted by the refusal. "Shockwave, she will do whatever you command," he said, "She will be your loyal pet. She will do much more than that waste of metal you've been fawning over for the passed several years now."

Mearing watched Shockwave stop what he was doing and flare his mandibles wide. There was a small shaking in his hand that he made an effort to conceal. Apparently, he must have had some sort of care for the Driller given the way he seemed almost angry by Sentinel's comment. She glared up at Sentinel from the corner of her eye.

_Don't push him! If he doesn't want me, he doesn't want me!_ she thought, angrily.

But she knew why Sentinel was pushing.

"Very well," Shockwave finally responded in a dulled voice, "I will find something for her to do."

Sentinel smiled and nodded. "Good. I will leave you to it then."

He turned and walked out of the room. Mearing sighed with relief, glad to be done with him. She looked up as Shockwave continued his work without even acknowledging her standing there. The glow of the sparks cast eerie shadows over his face.

The silence that followed became almost unbearable. Mearing cleared her throat and thought that she would make the first move.

"Uh, excuse me?" she asked him. She paused and forced herself to say the next words as respectable as she could, "Lord Shockwave? Is there something you need me to do?"

Shockwave paused briefly and looked down at her. After a moment of consideration, he pointed across the room.

"Sit in that corner," he ordered, "Until I call for you."

Mearing followed his finger and noticed that he was pointing at a pile of machine parts and rubble. Dismayed, but somewhat relieved, she did as he said and moved over to the pile to take a spot. When she was comfortable enough, she noticed that Shockwave was resuming his work. Sighing, she leaned her head in her hand and watched the sparks showering down from the welder.

_I can't believe this_, she thought, sighing again, _He's got me sitting in a corner like a little girl. I suppose it's better than -_

"Resist in the sounds or parts will start to come off." Shockwave warned, glaring over at her.

Mearing went pale with fright. She nodded her head frantically. "Y-Yes, Lord Shockwave."

O

Ratchet had expected the retaliation.

It was again that Sentinel had attempted to sway him otherwise to escape the life of servitude and simply follow his ways. Ratchet could not do so in all good consciousness. Not after what Optimus had died for. He could see Megatron and Carly watching the scene. Carly looked worried for the older Autobot, wondering if Sentinel would eventually give up in trying to do anything to persuade him to join the cause.

"If you kneel and serve me, it ends," Sentinel assured him, "I would hate to see a valuable asset perish for his own foolish decisions."

Ratchet chuckled and met Sentinel's eyes defiantly. "Tell me; since when does the wise Sentinel Prime abandon reason for madness?"

Sentinel narrowed his optics. "Madness has no purpose. Or reason. But it may have a goal." he told him, "And that goal is simple; the survival of our race, the unity of both brother and enemy. I would have thought that you would accept this."

The sound of music filled the air from outside the tower and Sentinel seemed to ignore the music for a few moments more before he growled with irritation.

"What is that irritating sound?" he snapped.

Carly straightened from her spot at Megatron's side. "The humans are praying today, Lord Sentinel," she told him, "Today is Sunday; some of those who believe Sunday is a holy day use it to pray to God."

"God?" Sentinel whirled on her with a disgusted look. "I am the one God who they should worship!"

Carly shook her head. "Humans have traditions, generations of learning from their beliefs," she explained, "We all worship different Deities. You cannot expect years of human tradition to disappear in such a short time."

Sentinel's voice was severe this time. "I can if they want to live."

Carly frowned at him and tried to seem calm. Megatron didn't seem particularly interested in the conversation and continued to drink from a barrel of oil as if it wasn't even going on at all.

Sentinel made another disgusted sound and coldly hissed out, leaning forward to her. "Keep your dead, mundane idols if you wish," he sneered, "But remember who it is who stands before you in form and name."

He departed from the room, leaving Megatron, Ratchet and Carly alone.

"He truly believes himself to be a God?" Megatron tittered, amused; he absently shook his barrel.

Carly looked at him. "If I may be so bold, Lord Megatron; doesn't this bother you?"

Megatron frowned at her. "What?"

"That Sentinel has placed himself so high on a pedestal," Carly said. "Surely you have more of a right than he does."

Megatron's teeth rubbed together in deep thought with a small growling sound.

Ratchet took a step forward. "Megatron, you know how this will end," he told the warlord, "Sentinel has become greedy, corrupted. He will - "

"NO ONE ASKED FOR YOU TO SPEAK, AUTOBOT!" Megatron thundered, flinging the barrel at Ratchet's head.

Carly gasped softly when Ratchet stumbled back, holding his head in a daze from the shot. The barrel rolled around on the floor and oil splattered in a horrible, disgusting puddle. Megatron smirked cruelly and gestured to the spill.

"Clean that up!" he commanded.

Ratchet scowled at him. "I will not. You made this mess."

Megatron's red optics flared and he reached for his weapon behind him. "I said, CLEAN IT UP!"

Ratchet sighed and slowly started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Megatron hissed.

"To find something to clean it up with," Ratchet argued.

Megatron chuckled and waved his claws. "No, no. Drink it up off of the floor."

Ratchet looked stunned. "You cannot possibly be - "

"DO IT!"

Carly watched with pain as Ratchet slowly sank to the floor bitterly, his features rigid with humiliation and anger. He dropped to his hands and knees and winced as Megatron stepped forward and pressed the barrel of his gun into the Autobot's face, laughing cruelly. His sharp claws dug deep into the back of his head, slicing through the tender curcuits. He had sharpened his claws to the deadliest tips should the need arise to use them.

"Drink it up!" Megatron sneered.

Ratchet's head was forced into the floor and into the oil. Megatron snarled down at him.

"Next time, when you dare question my authority again, Autobot filth; the only thing that you'll be drinking is your own Energon!" he snarled. "I keep you alive for only one reason; Sentinel believes that you may still be of use."

He released Ratchet and forced him from the room.

Carly swallowed hard and tensed when Megatron turned and smirked at her. "Oh, now don't be so glum, little girl," he said, "A dead slave is of no use to anyone in any regard. Why kill him when I can make sport of him instead?"

She stood up. "Is there anything else I can do, my Lord?" she asked.

"Not for me." Megatron answered, "Rest up. On your way, I want a status report from Ratbat on the hatchlings."

She gave him a bow before departing from the room toward the medical district. Ratbat was inside the laboratories that housed the hatchlings as well as various other Decepticon "nurses". Carly never knew what they did, but several larger, heavily - armored females fed the hatchlings that were suspended in glowing blue sacs with tubes of strange golden liquid. Carly had seen this once or twice and she couldn't lie that it was rather fascinating.

Ratbat looked up at her with a gruff snort. "What do you want?" he muttered.

"Lord Megatron wants a status report," Carly answered.

Ratbat sighed and placed his clipboard down. "Very well."

While he started typing up a report, Carly tensed when Barricade entered the laboratories. He moved passed her without so much as an acknowledgement and watched the glowing sacs filled with new life. For a moment, she watched a strange look of warmth cross those frightening optics.

"Are the new ones ready?" he snapped.

The two "nurses" nodded silently and several humans surrounding them stepped aside as they reached up and plucked two larger casings from the sticky walls. They carried them ever so gently toward a table that was filled with soft material.

Standing on the other side was a larger jet Cybertronian who Carly was familiar with as Silverbolt. He was an Autobot B2 Bomber who was a servant to the Decepticons. He was old by most standards and his body slouched forward constantly. His face looked like that of a cuttlefish and he had a large "mustache" that danced across his face whenever he spoke. His body was most black save for a few red patches on his wings and the crest of his head. He also wore a large, metallic collar around his neck and wrists. Carly knew what they were for. They had the same effect as they did for the humans, only with much more destructive force.

"Ahh, just in time!" he said, "I was hoping that these would hatch before I went into recharge!"

Barricade glared up at him. "Get on with it, Autoscum."

Silverbolt nodded his head. He quickly gathered his tools and looked down at Carly with a smile. "Would you like to watch?" he asked her. When Barricade hissed impatiently at that, Silverbolt simply laughed gently. "It could do no harm, Barricade. She is a human. She's merely curious."

Silverbolt brought Carly up into the table so she could get a better look at the wriggling hatchlings beneath the sticky sacs. Silverbolt gently raised a small scalpel and began to delicately cut through the sacs, pulling the tiny forms out one by one. Their bodies were small and fragile and ended in long, whip - like tails. They had tiny, sharp teeth and head crests with little, grasping talons. Their optics flashed red once they cycled their first gulp of air.

Carly had to admit; if they weren't going to grow up into murderous Decepticons, they were rather cute.

The hatchlings made squealing sounds and Silverbolt picked one up, studying it for deformities or flaws. He smiled at Barricade and offered the creature to him. Barricade took it and Carly was surprised to watch a strange warmth touch those quadoptics. His jagged claws touched the hatchling's head and it made a soft, clicking sound.

It was strange seeing the Decepticons watching the hatchlings with a twisted form of affection. Carly wasn't sure what to think about it.

O

Silverbolt walked toward the dormitories with Carly beside him. She looked up at the Autobot.

"Silverbolt, why did you willingly let yourself become a slave to them?" she asked.

Silverbolt smiled. "It's most unusual, isn't it?" he said, "I understand they would be disappointed with me, but I've been in thos war for too long now. If this is the way to put an end to it, then I would gladly take that chance."

Carly couldn't believe her ears. "So you would just give up?"

"I don't see it as giving up anything, Carly," Silverbolt told her, his metal brow puckering in an almost human look, "It wasn't the ending that we had planned and certainly not how I would have wanted, but it had ended regardless. There is no longer fighting."

Carly didn't respond to that, but nonetheless, she parted way with the Autobot and passed through a crowd of women who were being checked by human guards. Some of the humans offered to be guards or torturers for the Decepticons if they wanted extra rations or sleep. Carly never recognized any of them, but they were often arrogant and cruel because of the "special treatment" they would receive by the Decepticons.

The men and women were separated from each other before they went to bed. Often times, many of those who were married hardly ever saw each other again. Sometimes they would in passing or in hidden communication. Overall, Carly hardly ever saw her father. She only hoped that he was okay.

An African American woman brushed passed her, wincing. She was probably in her mid 40's and she had a mark of the office class branded on her arm. Strangely enough, she had no Cybertronian glyphs on her body either, which meant she didn't belong to anyone. Carly looked down and noticed that she was rubbing her feet.

"Oh, joy. I got blisters ON my blisters." she muttered.

Carly laughed gently. "Well, it's time to sleep. I think we all deserve it."

The woman nodded her head in agreement and laughed with relief in her voice. "Don't you worry about that, honey; I'll be doing my share of sleeping for hours."

Carly giggled and then, after a moment, held out her hand. "I'm Carly," she told her, "Carly Spencer."

The woman nodded and shook her hand. "Call me Kai. Former Supervising Manager of Target. Now, I just work in the delivery rooms. Packing up shipments, delivering orders, you name it. They had me working double -time after that new girl offed herself in the plaza."

Carly looked stunned. "Another one?"

Kai nodded sadly. "Yep. It's a shame too; we used to be friends."

Once the women were placed into the dorm building, they quickly found their beds and climbed in. Kai was far across the large room. It was dark, so it was difficult to see one another sometimes, but luckily, there weren't too many in the dorm given the fact that they were separated by district and class.

"Recharge!" a Decepticon shouted from outside.

Once it was dark and they were certain that it was quiet, the women immediately gathered in a large circle and cracked a few glo - sticks, casting the room in a dim, green light. Carly could see Mearing among them, a tired look on her face.

"Charlotte!" she said, sitting beside her, "How'd it go?"

Mearing gave her a weak smile and showed her wrist to her. It had a fresh, bright red mark branded into her arm. Carly was familiar with some Cybertronian and knew for a fact that it was Shockwave's name.

"He didn't kill me," Mearing told her.

Carly smiled and patted her back. "I told you. Did you do everything that he told you?"

Mearing nodded her head. "I didn't do much, but he made me dig through some old piles of scrap and separate them."

"And did you complain?"

"No. Not at all."

Kai wriggled in between the two. "Hey, girls," she said, "What are we talking about?"

Carly giggled. "Charlotte, this is Kai. Kai, Charlotte Mearing."

Kai blinked in amazement. "Hey, I heard about you. Weren't you that white bitch who passed that law years ago? The one about the taxes?"

Mearing chuckled, embarrassed. "That was a long time ago ... "

"Damn right. Gave me hell at the house for it." Kai said. She chuckled at Mearing's uneasy expression. "I'm messing with you, Snow White. Relax." Her eyes fell on the fresh, tender mark on Mearing's wrist. "So, who are you catering to?"

"Shockwave." Mearing answered.

Kai frowned. "Never heard of him."

"That's because he stays in his labs all day," Mearing told her, "He never leaves except to do his business or sleep."

Carly cocked her head curiously. "What does he do in there?"

Mearing's face went pale and she shook her head, waving her hands in the air at the two curious women. "No. No, no, no. I can't say a word about that. He made it distinctly clear that I can't tell anyone what he's been doing."

"Okay, chill," Kai murmured, "I don't know what this guys does, but I ain't gonna push."

Suddenly, there was a soft whisper behind them. Sam was outside of the women's dorm, clutching the thick bars. "Carly!" he hissed, "Carly!"

She whirled and jumped to her feet, rushing up. "Sam, are you insane?" she cried, in a hushed whisper, "If they catch you out here - "

"I just wanted to say goodnight, Carly," Sam whispered.

She cupped his face through the bars and smiled sadly at him. "Sam, you're a crazy idiot, you know that?"

He laughed. "But it's why you love me, right?"

The two leaned forward to kiss, but the bars prevented that. They tried again, but eventually just gave up and Carly pressed a kiss to her fingertips and then to Sam's lips. He smiled at her before turning and rushing off, avoiding the massive floodlight above.

After they spent a moment talking, the women eventually returned to their beds. Kai sighed loudly.

"Pleasant dreams, ladies," she told them.

There were a few scattered, uncertain laughs in the room; it was the only time that they could ever have happiness nowadays was in their dreams.


	3. P2

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer:** Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had succeeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

_"Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Two**

_Iacon City_

Dylan tried to remember the last time he'd gone outside.

He'd spent such a long time inside that small, yet comfortable office since he'd first come to Cybertron. For what he'd done, he had been rewarded with a room all his own, the occasional choice of breeding subjects and extra rations. This was indeed the reward he had been promised.

The Decepticons still treated him like a slave and Soundwave mostly ignored him even though he was pretty much "owned" by the Communications Officer. But he was better here than the rest of them. He stood at the top of the food chain; they were dragged down into the dirt and worked until they died. Dylan had it easy; he was a mere observer of security. That was his job. When he saw something out of place, he'd report it.

But he couldn't very well step outside, could he?

After all, those fools failed to recognize his authority. Dylan had attempted to leave his office once and he was immediately jumped by two construction workers in the process. They had beaten him up and one had cut off his finger. Barbarians. Well, he was at the top while they fought like animals for the food the Decepticons tossed at them.

"Human slave!"

Dylan looked up cautiously as Laserbeak slithered into the room like a dark, silent shadow. He perched himself on the makeshift couch and ruffled his jagged wings. All around his office, smaller Decepticon drones would circle and watch him carefully, making sure he was not up to trouble. It didn't really bother him too much; after all, he never deviated from his task. There was no need to.

"What is it, Laserbeak?" Dylan asked.

Laserbeak's red eyes glittered. "Soundwave wants the checklist."

Dylan nodded his head and reached into his desk, pulling out a round, silver disk. He held it up to the winged Decepticon. "Sure. Sure. I got it right here ready for him." he said, "All heads are counted for in the barracks. No troubles from anyone."

Laserbeak smiled broadly, showing those tiny teeth in his beak. He took the disk into one of his talons and chuckled dryly.

"It must be wonderful up here," he purred, "So safe and out of harms way."

Dylan nodded half - heartedly and returned to his spot in his chair, distracted. He didn't enjoy being put on the spot. "Yeah. It is. Thank you."

Laserbeak chuckled again and scrutinized the human with his red gaze. "Dylan ... " he hissed, "Do you know what they call you out there?"

"No. But I can imagine it's probably something childish."

"Indeed. They call you 'Dead Meat Dylan'," Laserbeak said, laughing before he abandoned the room with the disk in hand. His laughter echoed through the halls and made Dylan cringe at the horrible sound.

Not long afterwards, Sam appeared, pushing a cart filled with smaller containers. Dylan's eyes narrowed at the sight of the other man there. When the small Decepticons saw Sam, they chattered wildly and began to crowd around him.

"What are YOU doing in my office?" he snapped.

Sam pretended to ignore his sarcasm and held up one of the containers. "My job, okay?" he said, "Some of us actually spend hours of our time busting our asses to keep them attached to our bodies." He opened a container with a swift twist and placed it onto the floor. He backed up quickly as the small Decepticons literally crowded around the container, eager to consume the bright blue fluid inside of it.

Dylan grimaced at the splatters all over the floor. "Come on! Come on!" he protested, "Do you have to do that right _now_? They're getting it all over my floor! That shit stains!"

Sam whirled on him and gave him a dirty look, brandishing one of the containers in his face like a weapon. "You know, Starscream's been up my ass all day about feeding these little bastards, so I strongly suggest that you shut your goddamn mouth and let me do my job; then for both our sakes, I won't have to listen to your bitching for much longer."

He didn't notice that one of the Decepticons was anxiously jumping into the air in a mad attempt to snap up the container. Sam looked down at watched as it angrily chattered at him with impatience and he quickly opened the container and placed it onto the floor so it could consume its contents.

"I've got a hell of a lot more power than you could ever hope for, Witwicky!" Dylan threatened, "At least I don't have to wake up to the thought of constant failure." He grinned coldly as Sam calmly gathered the containers off of the floor - one of the small Decepticons was still inside one of them, licking the remaining drops. He sighed and plucked it out of the tube, placing it back down onto the floor, ignoring Dylan's rant. "What's that like, anyway? I bet you hear this all the time. Yeah, you were such a goddamn hero, well look at you now, 'hero'!"

Sam turned and gestured out the window, smiling with contempt. Despite having only one good eye, it didn't inhibit the deadly gleam showing. "If you're such a big shot, then why don't you go out there?" he said, in a challenge, "Go out and tell them all how big you are."

Dylan's anger drained and now he looked ready to kill him.

Sam smirked. "Yeah, I didn't think so."

Dylan watched as he pushed the cart away and he sat at his desk before giving a furious shout, kicking it.

O

Carly walked down the dark, eerie halls of the tower and slowly, if not a little reluctantly, entered Shockwave's laboratory. She could see him at work on the Driller; his hands were covered in black oil and he was digging through the wires and circuits of the creature. Mearing was working on one side of the lab, separating bare pieces of scraps. Shockwave seemed to sense Carly's presence because he glanced back with a half - turn, pausing once in his work before resuming once again, as if she wasn't there.

"What manner of folly would bring you to my lab unrequested, human?" he growled.

Carly cleared her throat. "I am here on the request of Lord Megatron."

Shockwave seemed particularly attentive now as she rounded the table; it felt like forever given his massive size and work space. His mandibles clicked with mild irritation before responding. He had no choice but to acknowledge the little pest when she carried the command of his leader. "Oh?" he said.

"Yes." Carly answered. She grimaced sheepishly with her next words. "He had a bit of a falling out with Starscream earlier and the result of their fighting caused several computers to be damaged. He wants me to retrieve a spare part that he believes you may have on your person. From what I understand, it would be from your stock piles of dead Autobot remains and computers. I don't know the name exactly, but I'll know what it looks like when I see it."

Shockwave nodded curtly before he looked up toward Mearing. "YOU!" he bellowed. When the woman jumped with a start from his powerful shout, she quickly jumped to her feet and acknowledged him with a terrified look. He gestured with his head once. "Come here now."

Mearing nodded her head and immediately rushed up to Shockwave's side. "Y - Yes, Lord Shockwave?" she stammered.

"Take this human to the storage rooms a few doors down from my lab," Shockwave ordered, "She will select what she needs from the stock pile and you will take it wherever she asks, do you understand?" When the woman barely managed to nod her head, Shockwave acknowledged with a half - nod and he turned to look down at a stunned Carly. "Will that be all that Lord Megatron requires from me, little slave?"

Carly nodded. "Yes."

"Then leave me to my work."

She gave him a quick bow before taking Mearing's hand. They walked out of the laboratory and Mearing finally managed to relax with a shuddering sigh. Carly gave her a piteous smile and patted her back gently.

"Are you okay, Charlotte?" she asked.

Mearing rubbed her forehead with one hand. "I feel like I'm walking on needles here!" she told her, "Every day, he looks at me like he wants to kill me."

"He won't. Not unless you do anything to step over your boundaries." Carly assured her.

"And how do I know what those boundaries even are?" Mearing demanded, "How do you manage to stay in so good with Megatron?"

Carly smiled weakly. "I do what he wants. I stroke his ego, so to speak," she explained, "I agree with everything that he says even if it doesn't make a bit of sense at all. I do all the work that he asks of me and I don't ever speak out of term."

Mearing looked disgusted. "In other words, you're his whore."

Carly looked affronted now by the sarcastic remark from the older woman. "No. I'm smart. I want to stay alive as much as you or anyone else here does. I don't want my last days alive to be because of a stupid move."

"Okay, I get it," Mearing replied, holding up one hand.

After that, she led Carly to the storage room that Shockwave had mentioned. It almost took an hour to go through the scrap piles and once Carly found the part she had been looking for - thank God it was rounded so that she could roll it down the hall - she immediately returned to Megatron with Mearing trailing along with her. After that was taken care of, Carly explained to Mearing that she should find a way to cater to Shockwave's interest. By talking about what he liked, it would deflect attention away from her.

"He's not like Megatron," Mearing argued, "He doesn't get distracted easily."

Suddenly, as they walked, Kai pushed her way through them, distracted with a cart of scrap parts. "Will you man up there, Snow White?" she said, turning her attention to Mearing, "If you want to stay alive in this hell hole, show some backbone!"

Mearing gave her a dirty look as she disappeared out into the city. Both women walked until they reached Megatron's throne room where two other Decepticons - Barricade and another she wasn't familiar with. This Decepticon resembled a purple jet with a single camera optic, much like Shockwave. They were hard at work repairing the damages to a computer console. Carly could see a near perfect shape of Starscream's head imprinted in the machinery. Megatron was angrily cursing at the two Decepticons.

"That fool's head causes more damage than they do!" he snapped, gesturing to the crowds of working humans outside.

Carly approached, rolling the piece toward him. "Lord Megatron, I have the piece you needed."

He turned and seemed to smile. "Ah. Your efforts are worthwhile after all, slave," he told her, reaching down to pick it up, "Dreadwing was just about to finish."

The Decepticon looked down at her briefly as if he had just now noticed the human before resuming his work. "It will take a few moments," he informed the Decepticon Warlord, "The systems will function again in a few moments."

Carly winced. Dreadwing's voice was even worse compared to Shockwave's.

As they worked, the sound of an alarm caused them all to look up. Sentinel was summoning the slaves to gather in the main courtyard. Megatron rumbled deeply and moved his way passed the two humans nearby.

"Sentinel has summoned the workers," he mused, "Something must be troubling him."

Carly and Mearing followed Megatron out to the courtyard. Sure enough, the office class were lined up before the red Autobot leader with Ratbat at his side. Sentinel surveyed each and every tired human with disgust in his optics. They kept their heads down as they were always instructed to do when facing him. Megatron was never too particular when it came to the presentation of slaves - he was never too patient to deal with it anyway - but Sentinel did not appreciate having them stare up at him like they were equals.

"It has come to my attention that the food storage units had been broken into today," he told them, "Ratbat tells me that one of you left with an entire crate of food."

Ratbat pushed the named crate up. Sure enough, it was filled to the brim with cans of food; some were dented and others collapsed.

"Now, I am not completely familiar with Earth's ways," Sentinel continued, pacing back and forth before them; his voice remained even and calm, "But I do know one thing; your food simply doesn't walk away on its own. One of you has stolen from me." He stopped pacing and stared down at the shivering humans. "Step forward now and your punishment will not be as severe. You have my word as a leader."

No one moved.

Ratbat sighed impatiently and raised his wrist; it formed a small weapon that fired a shot directly at a human standing in the first row. Carly and Mearing cringed together, horrified as they watched the human fall to the floor in a pool of blood. A few watching Decepticons were laughing cruelly at the frightened humans who attempted to stagger back from the corpse. Sentinel calmly observed them with cold blue optics. The added incentive did nothing to stir a response from the human slaves.

"So you're telling me that neither one of you saw anything?" he said, "Not a single one of you saw who took the food?"

Still, no response.

Sentinel sighed and turned to go, gesturing once to Ratbat. "What a pity. I suppose then that you will all go without food for a few days." he told them, "Since one among you cannot stand up for his crimes, the rest of you will suffer."

Just then, a small boy stepped forward from the crowd. There were hushed, horrified whispers and two people tried to pull him back.

"Tim, don't!" came a fierce whisper from a man Carly didn't know.

Sentinel smiled with satisfaction and he walked up to the boy, regarding him. "There we go. We have our little thief, don't we?"

The boy - Tim - sniffled and started to cry softly. He kept his head low and barely nodded.

"Tell me; why have you decided to take what isn't yours?" Sentinel asked.

The boy's words came out in little hiccups and his small shoulders shook. "M - My mom was s - sick, sir!" he sobbed quietly, "Sh - She n - needed more food! I - I tried to tell the doctor but he wouldn't listen."

Sentinel smiled and murmured with a nod. "Thank you for stepping forward. These humans are no doubt grateful." he told him. Then, he turned to Ratbat. "Take him."

At that, a woman in the crowd panicked and screamed in torment, attempting to reach the Decepticon who seized the boy by his throat. Carly could only guess that this had to be the boy's mother given the way that she was acting. Several humans held her back to prevent her from doing something stupid, but how could you stop a mother from saving the life of her child. Sentinel barely reacted at all at the scene.

"Please, don't!" the woman begged him, "Don't kill him! Please, I'm begging you, sir! He's just a boy! He didn't know what he was doing!"

Sentinel scowled down at her. "Be silent, human," he ordered. He looked out at the horrified humans watching the scene, helpless to do anything. "The life of this boy will serve as a reminder never to take from me again. Now all of you, get back to work!"

Carly watched gravely as Ratbat dragged the boy away like an old stuffed toy and the rest of the humans gradually separated. Two other women attempted to comfort the weeping mother, but she would not be consoled. She was sobbing and shaking her head, pleading to have her son back and knowing full well that it was never going to happen. Once they were taken away, Carly knew that they were never coming back.

O

Ratbat grew annoyed with the new arrivals; humans were always so frightened and sometimes spoke low or stammered. He passed them requesting what their previous jobs had been on Earth. When a man tensed up as Ratbat scrutinized him, he straightened and spoke.

"I was a teacher." he told the doctor, "I - I have my papers if you want to see - "

Ratbat grunted with boredom. "Not essential work, stand over there." he snapped, gesturing to a group of people standing beside Soundwave.

The man looked over and noticed that the people were being collected - most of them seemed to be old workers - and he reluctantly relinquished his place in the thick line of humans. He sighed with pain and walked up, glancing briefly toward Soundwave who chuckled with amusement. After Ratbat had gone through the entire crowd of new human arrivals, he gestured once to Soundwave and the Mercedes gave the human crowd a swift brush of his foot.

"Move!" he commanded.

Ratbat approached a bright red button and pushed it before he grasped a broadcasting device into his claws and announced through the system; his voice - still consistently bored - began to broadcast to the listeners of Iacon City.

"ATTENTION SCUM OF CYBERTRON!" he said, "We have ourselves some fresh meat today. Come to the gladiatorial pits for a show testing man against metal!" He hung up the PA system and grumbled quietly with disgust. "Primus, I hate my job ... "

O

The gladiatorial pits were created as a way for the Decepticons to keep from growing insane with boredom. Originally, it had been a stadium from what Carly had heard Megatron inform her where Autobots had friendly competitions. It was vastly different from what Megatron's caste had done in Kaon. They fought savagely in the gladitorial pits for dominance and favor of their fellow workers and he had been the strongest. Right before he rose up to become Cybertron's Lord High Protector.

Carly took her spot beside her master and Starscream sat at Megatron's other side. There were various Decepticons crowding the makeshift stands, facing an Energon - soaked field filled with debris and other kinds of body parts from Cybertronians unfortunate enough to be thrown into battle. There was also remains of human parts as well; Carly could see dried splashes of blood on the walls of the field and guts.

She shuddered. It was a horrible reminder of how terrible they were.

Sam sat beside her and whispered sidelong in her direction, his voice tense. "Carly, did you see him before the fight?" he asked.

"Who?" Carly asked, quizzically.

Just then, a large steel door roared open and everyone turned their attention to the darkness within. Slowly, a broken yellow shape shambled his way out of the shadows. The once shining chrome of the Chevy Camaro was dulled and rusted. Sam and Carly hardly recognized their dear companion Bumblebee in such a state. His blue optics looked dim and worn and his face was scratched up from claw marks and teeth. It looked as if he had just fought not too long ago. He was wearing a thick collar around his neck, wrists and ankles and his fingertips were soaked in his own fluids; probably an attempt to be rid of the collar around his neck.

Megatron stood up from his spot to address the watchers. "Behold! Prime's 'mighty' warrior!" he sneered in a mocking voice.

There was cold, cruel laughs that filled the air from the watching Decepticons. Sam and Carly grimaced in pain at Bumblebee's withered look. He was exhausted and in no shape to be fighting anyone right now. Yet those blue optics fixed defiantly onto Megatron, holding on with every last ounce of strength that he had left. He was not going to go down with Megatron's satisfaction in the matter. He was going to keep fighting if he had to.

Megatron grinned down at Bumblebee. "We have a surprise for you today, bug," he continued, cruelly, "Today, you will not be fighting on your own."

Below, another door roared open and Bumblebee squinted into the dark. Several of the humans that Soundwave had collected were forced out into the field. Bumblebee's optics widened in shock as the disoriented humans tried to make sense of what was going on.

"Let's see just how fast you can save them before they are killed!" Megatron sneered.

Before Bumblebee could question what was going on, several forms darted out of the darkness. Three of them, it seemed to be. They resembled enormous metallic dogs that looked remarkably like smaller versions of the Decepticon Hatchet who Dino had killed on the highway a few years back when they were leading Sentinel to what they believed was safety. But that wasn't all - they were being held tightly by a thick chain that was being held by a Decepticon he knew as Onslaught. A thick brute who spent most of his time in the arena watching and supervising on the side should Bumblebee attempt to do anything foolish.

"Fetch!" he snarled, releasing his grip on the chain.

It all happened at once. Two of the hounds split up in separate directions and Bumblebee grabbed one by their metallic tails. It screamed and recoiled, clawing at his face. The other two made short work of attempting to snatch up the humans who tried fleeing from them, screaming. It was chaos and the Decepticons were loving every second of it. Carly and Sam attempted to blot out the horrible sounds of their crazed bloodlust as the other two hounds surged at Bumblebee again.

Starscream snickered coldly. "I have two tubes of high grade that says he cannot take them in less than 5 minutes." he sneered, to a Decepticon sitting beside him.

"You're on!" the Decepticon sneered back.

Lubricant sprayed from Bumblebee's shattered joints and wires from the scratches inflicted by the hounds. He grabbed one by the throat and twisted, snapping its neck and tearing the wires. The other two sank their teeth and claws into his already mauled form. Bumblebee screeched out in pain and was forcefully thrown into the wall. Several humans were crushed instantly from the force of his body. Bumblebee grimaced at the sick feeling of their bodies popping beneath his weight. He was covered in lubricant from his own body, the broken form of one of the hounds and his own. It smelled and tasted horrible.

"GET HIM!" the Decepticons roared, throwing their fists into the air, "KILL HIM!"

Bumblebee felt excruciating pain as the second hound pierced its claws and teeth into his leg, trying to pull him from his "brother". He looked up and watched Sam and Carly observing the scene with horror and pain on their faces. Driven with a new ounce of strength, the Autobot ripped the hound's jaw clean in half, splitting it apart in a horrible crunching sound that momentarily silenced the chants of the Decepticons. Bumblebee flung the corpse of the hound aside and wrapped his fingers around the throat of the other. With a fierce shriek, he ripped the creature's head clean out of its metallic body, severing the metal spinal column.

Then, the Autobot turned and surged toward the spot where Megatron occupied. The Decepticon warlord stood calmly as Bumblebee started climbing the wall in a mad, enraged effort to grab at him. Onslaught arrived quickly, flinging a thick cord of chain around the Autobot's neck, struggling to pull him back. Sam met Bumblebee's ferocious, exhausted look and attempted to reach out, but Onslaught yanked him back with a loud, thunderous clang.

Megatron grinned cruelly at the sight. "He still has such spirit!" he hissed, "No matter; I will break you soon enough, Autobot!"

Bumblebee glared with absolute hatred at the Decepticon leader as he was dragged forcefully by Onslaught, kicked and beaten all the way. Megatron gestured to the air.

"Bring in the next one!"

O

Mearing could hear the sounds of the battle outside of the laboratory. She was curious as to what was going on out there, even though it was probably bad anyway. Shockwave was moving around behind her and still as quiet as ever. Mearing glanced back at him briefly before she turned and watched as he worked his fingers into the Driller's side. Something popped and lubricant began gushing from the creature. Mearing stepped back to avoid the red, creeping puddle that started forming around her. Shockwave seemed to be holding something down inside the Driller and he focused his large glaring eye down at her.

"Retrieve Silverbolt and inform him that I need an Energon transfusion," he commanded, "Now!"

Mearing immediately nodded and hurried from the lab. It apparently wasn't fast enough because Shockwave raised his voice menacingly, dissatisfied with her gait.

"QUICKLY!" he thundered.

Mearing hurried at a much faster pace with a quick whimper of fright and sprinted down the halls before reaching the medical district. She asked everyone that she met where Silverbolt was and luckily, she was able to find him moving in the hallways.

"Oh, is Shockwave having problems right now?" Silverbolt questioned.

"Yes. He needs an Energon transfusion." Mearing explained, breathless from her running.

Silverbolt nodded his head with a small hint of a smile. "Ah, so he does. It just so happens that I have some right here. I was going to bring it to Onslaught, but I suppose he can wait a little longer," he said, gesturing to a compartment on his side, "Take me to him."

Mearing led Silverbolt back to the Decepticon's lab and Shockwave was holding on to a small vein that had somehow ruptured. Silverbolt moved quickly and reached into his compartment, pulling out several tools and a large container of red fluid. Mearing sat by uneasily and watched as Silverbolt began to aid Shockwave with keeping the fuel from leaking too much from the Driller. Silverbolt was much more relaxed around the larger Decepticon.

"Now, now, Shockwave," he chided gently, "Your thick fingers no doubt cut the wires when you were removing the shrapnel. Relax while I repair the fuel line."

Shockwave spread his mandibles at the Autobot in a very annoyed manner, though it didn't seem that he was entirely too intimidated with having Silverbolt in his presence. He was a useful servant and a skilled Autobot in his trade after all. Mearing watched Silverbolt work slowly and diligently, murmuring in between movements. Then, the Autobot moved around, doing something that blocked her view. He sighed with dismay.

"Oh, it's internal shredding component is obliterated. It's fortunate that you've kept it alive with these wires, otherwise it would have been dead a long time ago." Silverbolt told him, "Now let me see what I can do about the parts."

Shockwave growled out impatiently. "I am running short on proper parts as it is," he snapped, "What would you suggest I do?"

"Well ... " Silverbolt pondered, "There may be some components in the medical disposal units. I can clean them up and bring them right to you. Then you can sort them out however you wish and decide what you need then." He chuckled sadly. "They won't be needed by the dead anyway."

Shockwave seemed somewhat satisfied with that because he relaxed his thick shoulders. "Very well," he said, in a much more even voice, "Bring to me everything you find and take it to the storage hold. The human can sort it out with Wheelie and Brains later."

Silverbolt nodded his head. "Not a problem," he answered, in a cheerful voice.

Mearing couldn't resist her inquiry. "Is it ... going to live?" she asked.

Shockwave and Silverbolt looked down at her.

"Indeed it is," Silverbolt answered. "So long as we work hard to repair it." He straightened his joints with a metallic grinding. "Now then, I'm going to find Ratbat so that he can help with the transfer. I'll be back shortly."

"Remember your vow of discretion, Autobot," Shockwave warned, in a voice that wasn't loud or threatening, but it was calm and even and it did carry dark promises should the Autobot disobey his wishes. It chilled Mearing's blood just hearing that and she knew it was a vow that was no where near empty.

Silverbolt nodded his head and sounded grave this time. "Yes. I remember."

Mearing wished that Silverbolt would stay because she was still uncomfortable alone with the larger Decepticon. Shockwave went right to work tending to the Driller's body with care. Mearing licked her lips thoughtfully; there was a question regarding the Driller and his need for discretion that nagged at her consciousness. After mustering up the little bit of courage that she had, she finally looked up at the hulk.

"Um, Lord Shockwave?" she said, "May I ask you something?"

"No." he answered curtly.

Mearing swallowed hard before she spoke again. "I just - " she tried, "It was about your ... Driller."

"It's nothing of concern to you."

Mearing chuckled weakly and nodded her head. "I - I understand that it isn't but I was just curious about why you want no one to know about it." she told him, "I mean, if the fighting is over between Autobots and Decepticons, there wouldn't need to be secrets, would there?"

"All you need to know is that you will speak to no one of the matter," Shockwave answered, twisting his fingers through a lubricant tube, "Should you violate my command in any way, you will not die here; but for the last remaining moments of your life, your dearest wish will be that you had."

Mearing went pale and nodded her head fiercely, realizing that she may have gone too far with the questions. "Yes. You're right. I'm sorry." she stammered. "It's just, Sentinel seemed pretty intent on wanting to know about it."

"Sentinel is a contemptuous fool."

Mearing was surprised by that, but said nothing more. Something told her that Sentinel may have had something to do with his desire to keep the Driller's status a secret.

Could that be used to their advantage somehow?


	4. P3

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had succeeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

"_Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Three**

_Iacon City_

Sentinel was displeased with production. He watched as the humans worked on construction, but their movements were not fast enough to his liking. He was having several Cybertronians arriving soon and he wanted to have something to show for it.

Megatron stood behind him, smiling with pride.

"Can they not move faster?" Sentinel snapped.

Megatron nodded. "I'll pick up the pace." he said. He gestured to Soundwave. "Give them a little reminder."

Soundwave nodded his head and raised his wrist. There was a collection of dials near a screen to which he turned upward. In the construction zone, every human working suddenly doubled over and gripped at their collars with a chorus of fierce cries of pain.

"Work faster!" Megatron bellowed down at them.

Lennox and Epps glowered venomously up at the warlord.

"Goddamn that bastard!" Epps snarled, under his breath, "He's gonna work us until we drop!"

Lennox sighed heavily. "I think that's the point, Epps." he said, grimly.

Sentinel turned and walked away from the sight, frustration in his growl. He paused when he spotted Shockwave walking by with Mearing following at his side. She was carrying a data board in her hands and Shockwave was giving her commands.

"I want every single scrap piece documented and accounted for," he told her, "For each one that you miss, you will start over."

Mearing nodded weakly. "Yes, Lord Shockwave."

Sentinel stepped in front of Shockwave. "Wait a moment, Shockwave; there's something that I need for you to do first."

Shockwave's single eye dimmed and his mandibles flexed. The ridges of his face plates seemed to move in an almost human gesture of a scowl. "I'm busy with important matters of my own, Prime," he told the Autobot, "It will have to wait until I am finished with my own duties."

Sentinel scowled back. "You will do as your told, Shockwave; after all, this is important."

"I'm certain that it is," Shockwave replied, with boredom, "But as you can see, this task my servant and I are working on cannot wait until tomorrow."

Megatron approached them and nodded his head to his subordinate. "Shockwave, pay mind to this specific request," he told him, "Sentinel requires your...delicate touch with a special matter. See to it at once."

Shockwave didn't seem to enjoy the concept of having to do anything for Sentinel. Mearing stared up at him warily, hoping that it wouldn't involve him taking his frustration on the other Cybertronian out on her. She had seen others in the path of his weapons die for much less.

"What is this task?" Shockwave finally asked, an edge to his voice.

"Interrogation, more or less," Sentinel said, turning and gesturing to two Decepticons dragging the familiar form of Leadfoot by his arms.

Shockwave's brow seemed to turn inward. "So I am simply to probe this Autobot for information."

"Not exactly," Sentinel told him, "You see, there are a few Autobots left who don't exactly see that the world here has changed; Leadfoot here is one of those blind fools. Make an example of him if it comes down to that."

If Shockwave understood or not, he didn't make a single indication of it. Instead, he gestured to the two Decepticons. "Take him." he ordered.

They nodded and dragged Leadfoot away with his thick heels scraping across the ground. Shockwave looked down at Mearing and gestured with a gruff twitch of his head.

"Come along, slave," he ordered.

O

Mearing had never been to his personal torture chambers before and she had hoped that Shockwave wouldn't bring her here. Maybe he did it to serve as some kind of example to her should she step out of line. It wasn't like she needed any kind of example; she wasn't stupid enough to get herself killed. She sat in the shadows, watching Leadfoot lying on a table in the center of the room, bound tightly with chain and cuffs. Shockwave moved behind him, gathering something on a tray.

Leadfoot snarled defiantly. "You ain't getting slag out of me, you piece of shit!" he spat, "I don't care what you do!"

The human explecitive did nothing to stir a response from the larger Cybertronian, but it did make Mearing gasp quietly in surprise. She looked up at Shockwave and noticed that he had paused in gathering his tools to look down at Leadfoot. Instead of lashing out, he made a sound that almost resembled a chuckle. "Insults are effective only where emotion is present," he told the Wrecker, "Clearly the words of a weakling carry very little weight."

Leadfoot laughed with a cruel snort, ignoring Shockwave as he removed a particularly sharp looking tool from the tray. "How's that pet of yours doing?" he sneered, "Optimus gave it one hell of a beating, didn't he?"

"And now Prime is dead, just like the rest of his pathetic, mundane creed," Shockwave replied, calmly.

Leadfoot smirked. "Yeah? Well that backstabber Sentinel's still alive and kicking!" he hissed. He then added mockingly. "Oh wait. I forgot! Megatron bent forward for him so he could screw him in the tailpipe! And he makes you do whatever he says. How's that feel? I bet it pisses you off, don't it?"

Shockwave said nothing. The air was tense and Mearing was wondering if Leadfoot was going to deal a whole lot of pain coming up. Shockwave wasn't much of a fan of Autobots and one who ran their mouth off was probably digging away at his processor. If it did bother him, he was an expert at hiding it.

Leadfoot hissed sharply before glaring defiantly up at that single, pitiless eye staring down at him. "Hehe. I can't wait to see the look on your face when Sentinel takes him out," he hissed. "Two leaders don't belong on Cybertron and you know it."

Shockwave's expression was impassive. "Interesting. But you have little to prove that will happen," he said, "Insufficient facts always invite danger. Look at what situation you have been placed in now, Autobot."

Leadfoot uttered a Cybertronian curse. "You'll be sorry, freak," he hissed, "You know it!"

"Let's discuss other matters," Shockwave said, in a voice carrying a bit of a cold chill to it. He paused briefly before stepping closer. "The body itself is a miraculous creation of science, Leadfoot. Ever wonder how far the arm can twist?"

He grasped Leadfoot's arm and began to twist it back. Leadfoot sucked his dental plating in pain, but didn't scream out. Mearing winced at the horrible sounds of metal rubbing against metal. "Ever wonder how much pain a mech can endure before he starts squealing like an animal?" Shockwave continued, "Your comrades certainly offered quite a bounty of knowledge in that area. In a sense, I knew them in their final hours more than you have in your entire, wretched life."

Leadfoot seemed bothered more by the concept of being reminded of his dead Wrecker comrades than the pain in his arm.

"They went down as heroes!" he hissed.

Shockwave made an amused hiss. "Really? Do you truly believe they died that way?" He stood up and reached for something on a table before placing the object on Leadfoot's chest. "Say hello to what remains of your former comrade, Topspin."

Mearing couldn't see what it that Shockwave had showed him from her position, but whatever it was, it made Leadfoot scream in rage and pain. The sound was so horrible, she had to cover her ears slightly to attempt to block it out to a lesser degree.

"You bastard!" Leadfoot snarled, "So help me, when I'm free, I'll-"

Shockwave seized his jaw tightly with one thick hand. "It is precisely that pitiful display of defiance that will never ensure that."

O

Mearing couldn't breathe once she stepped out of the torture room. Shockwave followed behind her, his hands dripping of red fluid to which he wiped with a cloth. Shortly afterwards, Megatron approached him and Mearing could see Carly by his side.

"Well?" Megatron growled, "Has the fool given in?"

Shockwave looked at him. "He's a spirited one," he said, "Thought I expected no less from a Wrecker. His stubborn, pathetic Autobot will cannot be changed. He had survived the city war on Earth, but he will surely not survive this."

Megatron chuckled, amused by the macabre image painted in his head. "Ah, such a shame," he murmured, "But we'll manage without him. Sentinel will understand that."

Carly looked at Mearing curiously for some kind of explanation and the woman shook her head with a weak, sick look on her face. Obviously it had been bad, what she had witnessed. She looked up at Megatron with a small smile.

"Master, can I ask you a favor?" she asked.

Megatron chuckled with amusement, as if the request was laughable rather than disrespectful. "Well, you can ask."

"Can I take Mearing to the medical bay?" Carly asked him, "She looks like she might be sick."

Shockwave stared down at Mearing and the concept of a human vomiting seemed repulsive to him. He gestured with a brief nod and Megatron returned the look to Carly. He waved his clawed hand at her and she smiled, attempting to seem pleased with his word rather than the fact that she had gotten what she wanted.

"Begone then," he said, "Shockwave and I have things to discuss anyway."

Carly gave him a small bow and took Mearing's hand, dragging her away from the two larger Cybertronians. They entered the medical bay shortly after and Ratbat was there behind a counter top with Silverbolt. They appeared to be studying Energon samples. When he looked up, Ratbat didn't seem very thrilled to see them.

"What is it?" he growled.

Carly smiled at him. "My friend here's not feeling well," she told him.

Ratbat gave her a particularly unkind look. "And why should I care?"

"She's Shockwave's servant." Carly told him.

Ratbat rolled his optics, unimpressed with the words, but not willing to let any harm come to Shockwave's pet. "Fine, let me have a look at this one," he muttered, "Shockwave's an impatient brute. He doesn't have time to retrain another one."

Mearing looked at Carly and she nodded reassuringly. The older woman followed Ratbat and he gathered a few tools from one of his storage compartments. Silverbolt smiled brightly down at Carly as much as his cuttlefish face would allow.

"Hello, Carly!" he greeted, "How are things going?"

Carly sighed and shook her head. "As well as they'll ever be."

Mearing stood tensely as Ratbat began to take her temperature with a bizarre jagged tool placed into her mouth. He frowned as he watched her before staring down at the alien device.

"Bah. 98.2, just as I thought," he muttered, "You're not sick."

Mearing gave the Decepticon doctor a look. "I might as well be considering what I just saw!" she growled.

"What's the matter with you?" Ratbat snapped, "What did you see?"

"Shockwave, he-tortured Leadfoot," Mearing said, her voice dropping a register, "It was horrible."

Ratbat looked at her with a long suffering grimace. "_That's_ what you saw?" he muttered. He rolled his optics and turned, gathering his tools. "Ah Primus, you humans are all hopelessly weak. Always complaining about _something_..."

Carly stared after the Decepticon, caution on her face before she smiled up at Silverbolt. "So, when are they coming?" she asked.

"They'll arrive in a few more minutes," Silverbolt told her with a smile back, "It'll be nice to see old friends again."

Carly laughed with a teasing smile. "Old friends?" she teased, "Why you yourself must be three days older than God."

Silverbolt laughed now at the humor, but Ratbat rolled his optics with a groan of disinterest. "If there is nothing else for me to do, I suggest you return to your tasks, humans," he warned, "Otherwise, I'll have to find something for you to do."

Carly nodded her head and took Mearing's hand. "Of course, we're going." she said.

O

Sentinel stood on the landing pad with a smile on his face. He observed three drop ships slowly pulling in to Cybertron. Standing among Sentinel was Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave as well as their human slaves. There were other Autobots and Decepticons standing there as well. Among them was Silverbolt and Ratbat.

The ships pulled in for a safe landing and shortly afterwards, several Cybertronian forms began to pull out. Sentinel held out his arms to greet what looked like a much older Cybertronian in red and white armor. Carly could tell that he almost looked like Sentinel except he had golden optics instead of blue. His body was slightly jagged and his fingers were frighteningly long. He had a diamond-shaped headcrest and a long metallic moustache.

"My old friend!" when the Cybertronian spoke, his voice was aged and he kind of reminded Carly of her grandfather. "It's been too long!" He paused and his optics looked around before landing on Megatron and the other Decepticons. "Is it true? Is the war finally over?"

Sentinel nodded. "It is, Alpha Trion," he told him, "It's finally over."

They shared an embrace before the other arrivals approached. Among them were Decepticons who appeared to resemble Starscream, but they were smaller and had different attributes in their faces and heads. Starscream reacted when he saw them and walked up, exchanging something in Cybertronian before he smirked over at Megatron.

"The Seekers returned!" he told him, "With offerings!"

Megatron grinned. "Ah, and what is it you've brought for us?"

Carly leaned forward to Sam while the two Decepticons disappeared into the ship to gather whatever it was they'd brought. "Those are Starscream's air soldiers," she explained; she pointed to each Seeker as they stepped inside the ship, "I think the blue one's Thundercracker, the red one might be Thrust - I can't remember. I think the odd-colored violet one's Skywarp. As far as I can remember, I think Megatron mentioned that they were clones of Starscream."

Sam groaned quietly. "Great, more Starscreams. Just what we need."

Thundercracker produced a large container filled with what appeared to be glittering red stones. Megatron grinned, delighted with the offering and ran his claws greedily over it. Thrust and Skywarp began to produce more containers filled with the strange stones; and the containers continued to come, brought by both Autobot and Decepticon.

"Where did you come across such an amount?" Megatron asked.

Thundercracker spoke at last and his voice was lower - and not as shrieking - as Starscream's. "We've uncovered quite a supply at a trading post abandoned from the middle of the war," he explained. Then, he added rather akwardly. "As well as a few...other things."

Megatron lifted his head and noticed what Thundercracker was referring to; Alpha Trion and his Autobots.

"The war is over, Thundercracker," he told the blue Seeker, "It's time to look to a brighter future."

Thundercracker frowned, the metal of his mouth shifting in a grimace. "My lord, if I may be so bold; do you expect millions of years of warfare, breeding for war to simply just end like that?" he asked, in a hushed whisper.

Megatron gritted his sharp teeth with a low growl before his attention was diverted elsewhere toward Sentinel who led Alpha Trion toward the construction zones. He turned and approached, smirking at Alpha Trion.

"The world we've destroyed is being brought back to life, all because of these little drones," he purred, gesturing to the human workers below.

Alpha Trion's metallic brow puckered at the miserable sight of the humans being worked to exhaustion. There was a scream and he looked out to the left where a woman was being forcefully pulled away by Flatline, another Decepticon scientist. Alpha Trion remembered the mech's face from long ago; before the war, Flatline had always been a bit unstable in the medical field. He just never thought he'd see the jagged mech again. Then again, Alpha Trion would have never believed that Autobots and Decepticons would have ceased their fighting.

"Glorious, is it not?" Sentinel said, a broad smile in his voice, "They work for us to rebuild the planet."

Alpha Trion looked at his friend, sensing a change in the old mech that he had once known. "This... This is wrong, Sentinel," he told him, "To force another race to reconstruct what was never their fault to begin with?"

"Some sacrifices have to be made in warfare, my friend," Sentinel told him, "You know that."

Alpha Trion didn't respond to that.

"Come on, a nice container of fresh oil will lighten your spirits!" Sentinel offered, "Silverbolt can truly make a fine cup!"

O

That evening, the human workers were sent to their bunkers for sleep. Carly and the rest of the women of their bunker gathered in a circle where Kai spent the first few minutes attempting to pop open a wine bottle.

"How'd you even get it anyway?" Carly asked her.

Kai smirked at her and offered the bottle. "I have my ways," she said.

"Sentinel would kill you if he found out."

Kai laughed. "Ah, just shut up and pour me a drink, bitch." she joked, passing around a few old metal cups.

Carly still seemed troubled, but pulled the cork open with a small popping sound. There was a moment of silence while each cup was filled with wine. After toasting one another, the women took a moment to cherish the little treat they could finally indulge in for the first time in years. Carly actually laughed and smiled at the other women sitting around the pile of glow sticks they had formed in the center of the circle.

"I haven't had wine this good in - God, I can't remember!" she said.

Kai smiled at her. "See? I told you."

"What are we celebrating anyway?" a woman in the back asked - Carly only knew her as a personal servant to a Decepticon tank she wasn't familiar with.

Kai chuckled and reached into her pocket, pulling out an aged, slightly ripped photo of a smiling, cute little girl. They crowded around to get a good look.

"Here, look at my girl. It's her birthday today," Kai told them, "Kid'll be 10 years old."

Carly tilted her head and asked rather awkwardly. "Uh, where is your daughter?" she asked.

Kai's smile disappeared. "I don't know," she said, pocketing the photo, "When I first arrived here, they said that the kids would be moved to the Great Dome. Apparently, that's where the humans are bred and born and where the children are 'trained' to obey the orders of these guys." Her voice dropped lower and Carly could tell that she was trying not to look like she was going to cry. "I just need to know if she's okay, that's all."

Carly paused thoughtfully, licking her lips. "What's your daughter's name?" she asked.

Kai smiled slightly. "Tasha," she told her, "Tasha Jones."

Carly patted her shoulder. "I'll see what I can do," she assured her.

Kai managed a weak smile, though she looked sick. She raised her cup and Carly did the same.

"Here's to friendship," Carly said, "A good friend I haven't had in a long time."

Somewhere across from the bunker, Brains' voice could be heard. "Yo! I thought I was your friend, blondie!" he hollered.

Carly couldn't resist a laugh and called back to him. "You are, Brains!"

Kai and the others actually attempted to laugh, but it was pained and half-hearted. Finally, Kai looked around and noticed that there was one among them missing.

"Hey, where's Snow White at?" she asked.

Carly took a sip of her cup. "Shockwave probably hasn't dismissed her yet."

Meanwhile, Shockwave was busy tending to the Driller's jaw when it suddenly began to move and twitch its body. He backed away a few paces as the creature struggled to move and gave an earsplitting screech of pure agony. Shockwave attempted to calm the beast with snippets of Cybertronian, but it was clear that the beast was driven by a rare spell of madness that only Shockwave was familiar with. Mearing could do nothing but watch as he wrapped his massive fists around the Driller's jaw as it bucked and shrieked like a thing possessed.

"Be still!" Shockwave commanded, "BE STILL!"

The Driller was driven insane by its last remaining memory; the agony of death that nearly greeted it. All because of Optimus Prime. The thought made Shockwave snarl with fury before he reached behind him to seize a thick cord of chain. Mearing watched in shock as he circled it around the Driller's mouth like a horse and pulled its head back. It made terrible metallic scraping noises as its body lurched from the force. Smaller tentacles began waving wildly about, crashing old data boards and tables.

Shockwave snarled garbled fragments of Cybertronian and whatever it was that he said seemed to work because the Driller's body relaxed and the tentacles dropped down at its side. Its body seemed to heave in a manner equivalent to a human breath before it went still.

Mearing stepped forward cautiously. "What was that?" she wondered, aloud.

"Get out..." Shockwave commanded, his voice as cold as ice.

Mearing frowned up at him. "What?"

"_OUT!_" Shockwave bellowed, his single eye leering down at her like an orb of intense fire.

Mearing quickly fled the room and left Shockwave alone with his pet. The Decepticon assassin and scientist stared down at the Driller's broken body. It was still alive given the shallow, weak breathing coming from it, but it was still hopelessly weak.

She watched this from the doorway as he ran his thick, dangerous hands across what she could guess was the Driller's face. Was it genuine concern for a pet?

Mearing didn't know.


	5. P4

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had succeeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

"_Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Four**

_Iacon City_

Earlier that morning, Dylan was slowly walking passed the construction site. He knew that if anyone saw him, he'd be attacked again. It couldn't really be helped because he needed to find himself something to eat and Laserbeak hadn't bothered to come to his office, even after Dylan had radioed the Decepticon several times. He didn't understand how hard it was to just transport a little bit of food to his office. How much time could it really waste for those robots? They had too much of free time to begin with anyway.

Among the construction workers, Dylan was spotted by a man pushing a cart filled with broken rock chips about the size of baseballs. "Hey! Look, it's Dylan!" he hissed, to the others.

The other workers were suddenly aware of the other man and their tools paused in their work. The man who had called it out grabbed a rock and chucked it at Dylan. It struck him on the side of the head and he stumbled to the ground. Dylan rubbed his head with a small groan of pain and looked up as several of the workers circled menacingly around him.

"Look at that!" Epps sneered, gesturing at Dylan with his wrench, "How's it feel to crawl around the dirt like the rest of us, 'big man'!"

Dylan slowly staggered to his feet, somewhat dazed from the sharp blow to his head. He could feel a bit of blood gushing from his head where the rock had struck him, but it hadn't been the worse damage he had ever received from the other humans eager to get a piece of him.

Despite his unease, he gestured with a finger and attempted to act tough though he was clearly outnumbered and outmatched.

"Stay away from me!" he warned, "Take a look around you! Look at what happened because of me! I saved an entire civilization! You don't see that? You're blind idiots!"

Epps laughed angrily. "Yeah, we see it alright," he snapped, "You saved _them _and to hell with the rest of us, right?"

Lennox was attempting to restore order, noticing that the Decepticon overseers were suddenly taking interest in the lack of productivity below. Sooner or later, they were going to start taking shots and none of them were going to be warning ones.

"Guys, come on!" he hissed, "They're watching us. Forget him and let's get back to work before we're left dodging bullets."

Dylan smirked and backed up as the group slowly started to advance, ignoring Lennox's words of wisdom. "Look, it was your fault that you chose the losing side in this!" he hissed, "Now that I chose their side, I'm living it up! You don't see me crawling around dirt, do you?"

One of the workers behind Epps patted what looked like an enormous ice pickaxe. "You won't live for long." he snarled, in a deadly voice.

Dylan turned to run, but in a swift act, Laserbeak was suddenly there, crouched in front of Dylan with a rattling hiss from his vocals. The workers jumped back as if they had been burned and Laserbeak regarded them coldly with his beady red optics.

"Back to work!" he commanded.

"But he-" one of the workers protested.

Laserbeak tilted his head and watched the humans from the side in a look that clearly suggested he was more than eager to take a few humans out. "We're not going to have any problems so early today, are we?" he threatened. "No? Then back to work!"

Eventually, the humans returned to their duties with bitter sounds. Laserbeak smirked at Dylan.

"How fortunate you were, human," he sneered, "Had I not been here to save your skin, they would have ripped you to pieces."

Dylan could hear by the sound of Laserbeak's tone that he obviously didn't give a shit what happened to him, yet he was merely following Soundwave's commands of tending to him whenever he was nearby. That was fine with the man; he would take it any way that he could get it.

Dylan looked up at the crowd of workers and noticed that one was grabbing his crotch and mouthed the word, "bitch". He grimaced in disgust at the display before he departed with Laserbeak in front of him. He could hear the sneers from the workers behind him.

-"Better watch yourself, Superstar!"

-"Bitch!"

-"Yeah, you better run, woman!"

-"I'll catch you on the rebound, homie!"

Dylan did what he could to ignore the threats, though they constantly echoed in the back of his mind. It did make him wonder though; he did have himself out of the major work haul and he was treated a lot better than they were, but...

Who was the _real _prisoner in this?

O

Sam's morning wasn't any easier.

For starters, Starscream had been bored with little work and decided to get Sam to do various tasks and time him the entire time; Sam was even fairly certain that Starscream wasn't even keeping a proper count and just wanted to see him fall on his ass. He also made Sam travel to the Planetary Waste Vents to retrieve a status report on the workers there. They were spending hours of the day cleaning the vents of old waste, buildup rust and space debris.

It smelled horrible and the heat was unbearable in the vents. Sam had to cover his mouth with his jacket sleeve when he arrived. The air was thick with heat and rust and it was almost hard to hear himself think given the loud sounds of drills, cutters and other machines.

"Human! Why have you come here?"

Sam looked up at Hook; he was a Decepticon crane who oversaw the cleaning of the vents. He transformed into a crane and in robot form, looked almost like Rampage save for a wider head and a mouth that looked like a crab. Sam actually hated Hook more than Starscream because he had an even bigger attitude when it came to the humans.

"Starscream needs a report on the productivity!" Sam shouted up at him over the roar of the noise.

Hook muttered something that Sam couldn't hear even if he wanted to before the Decepticon gestured with a flirt of his head. "Follow me then, rat," he growled, "And touch nothing if you want to keep your limbs."

Sam followed the towering hulk as they bypassed several workers toward a computer console. Hook began typing in a few keys and before Sam knew it, he produced a proper amount of data and offered a pad for Sam to take.

"Now, take it and leave my sight, rodent," he ordered.

Sam nodded briefly before turning to go back the way he had come. He muttered under his breath, "Dickhead" before looking around to be sure that no one heard it.

Exiting the vents was a breath of fresh air, but he paused at a sharp grunting sound and looked up, catching the familiar color of Sideswipe tugging a large piece of steel on his back with the use of spare wires. Surprisingly, leading him was another familiar face; Bruce Brazos, his former boss. He was dressed in the tattered remains of a work uniform covered in dirt and slime as well as the same collar that every human was forced to wear. Sam arched his brows in surprise and approached the man.

"Hey, Brazos!" he said.

Bruce was holding a data board in his hands. "Ah, Mister Witwicky, speak of the devil," he laughed, "I was just in the middle of talking about you with my very unhappy friend here."

Sam frowned up at Sideswipe and the Autobot rolled his optics. "Just another day in paradise, eh, Sam?" he growled in a cryptic tone.

Sideswipe was also wearing the same collars that Silverbolt wore and walked passed two Decepticon tanks. Before passing with the heavy object, he sneered at them.

"Hey, why don't you blow me a kiss right on my afterburners, sweetheart!" he hissed.

The two Decepticons snarled furiously at the sneer and began to kick at him. Sam flinched at the sight, but Bruce sighed and held up his hands as the tanks punched, spat and kicked Sideswipe in every single area on his body that they could.

"Hey, hey, hey!" he yelled, "Excuse me, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb; I'm all for a game of kick the little guy, but I don't think you want to delay the progress of cleaning these vents and piss off Mister Happy in there, do you?"

The two tanks clearly had little brain capacity compared to the other Decepticon drones and also didn't appear to want to deal with Hook and his nasty attitude, so they backed away from Sideswipe and snarled curses at him in Cybertronian.

Once the Autobot climbed to his feet, one of the tanks kicked him in the knees before he bitterly staggered off, carrying the scrap metal behind with him. They followed slowly behind him, sneering words in Cybertronian. Sam watched them go; he didn't know what they were saying, but he knew an insult when he heard one. He looked at Bruce. Before he could talk, Bruce spoke first, tapping his fingers on the touch screen.

"So, what brings you here?" he asked.

Sam sighed and shook his head. "Starscream."

Bruce smiled now. "Ahh, is he giving you a rough time?"

"No," Sam said, sarcasm dripping in his tone, "It's been a walk in the park..."

Bruce chuckled and folded his data board beneath his arm. "It could be worse."

"How exactly could it be worse?" Sam asked, skeptically.

Bruce pretended to think for a moment before he chuckled and shrugged. "They couldn't," he said, "I just don't have that much of an imagination."

Sam sighed and turned. "Well, nice seeing you again," he muttered, "But I have to go."

"Don't we all?" Bruce replied, nodding his head.

O

Sentinel observed the productivity from his office in the towers overlooking the construction zone, taking a moment to peer out over his claimed kingdom. He sighed and looked over his shoulder once Alpha Trion entered.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked, turning, "Are the Vaults secure?"

Alpha Trion nodded his head, though there appeared to be something eating away at him that he refused to let show. "They are indeed, Sentinel," he said, "I may require a few hands to organize the documented files."

Sentinel smiled and nodded, starting to walk out. "Very well; I'll gather up some of the slaves and you may select the ones you need." he told him.

Alpha Trion stepped aside to let Sentinel lead the way. The two Cybertronians walked down the length of the halls and Alpha Trion took the moment to observe several passing human slaves working to transport cargo and documents. When he stared down at them, they immediately looked down; avoiding eye contact. His brow knotted and he looked at Sentinel with a bit of a bothered look in his gaze. Sentinel sensed it and frowned at him.

"Something bothers you, old friend," he said.

Alpha Trion nodded and stared ahead. "After all these years, you know me too well..."

"That and your face broadcasts your emotions," Sentinel remarked, "As you have always been."

Alpha Trion glanced briefly at him from the side before staring ahead once more. "This feels wrong, Sentinel," he told him, "It's wonderful to see our home on the eve of renewal -that I cannot deny- but at the cost and planet of a native species?"

Sentinel paused and stared at him, half amused and half annoyed. It was as if he was hearing the same slag again, but at a more even level. "Alpha, the human race will still be preserved no matter what," he said, "But they are an expendable resource. With so few of us alive, it wouldn't have been possible. It was a necessary evil."

"But I see it in their eyes, Sentinel," Alpha Trion argued quietly, "They don't fear us simply because we could end them without thinking. They _hate _us."

Sentinel chuckled. "We have power, my friend. The power to take what we want, when we want. That includes their wretched lives."

The other Cybertronian shook his head. "No, Sentinel; that isn't power," he told him, "True power is having the ability to take a life and choosing not to. To have the restraint and kindness of a God. A worthless soul could beg and plead for his life before you and yet, what could you do? Kill him and call it a day? Or could you simply wave off and pardon this simple soul?" He smiled somewhat. "That is true power, Sentinel."

The idea seemed to hold some appeal to Sentinel and the mech murmured thoughtfully. They continued walking and talking before arriving into the medical bay where Ratbat was working on organizing several containers of oil. He looked up at the sight of the two.

"What is it?" he asked, in a biting tone.

"We need you to bring up the slaves in the office district," Sentinel ordered, "Alpha Trion requires extra labor for the Vaults."

Ratbat placed the containers down and nodded his head. "Right this way..."

Ratbat led them down the halls and out into the courtyard and he pressed a button against the wall, which triggered a blaring alarm. Immediately, Alpha Trion watched as many slaves quickly hurried into a straight group of several lines as they had always been ordered to do so when hearing the sound of the alarm. It was both painful and fascinating to observe all at once. Sentinel smiled sidelong at him.

"Well trained, don't you think?" he said.

At his side, Soundwave appeared as well.

Once everyone was gathered, Ratbat began to pace in front of them. "A few of you will be very lucky today," he announced, "It seems that our new arrival, Alpha Trion requires some workers for his Vault." He paused before smiling and gesturing around him. "It will be simple work; away from all of this manual labor. Now, which one of you has experience working in bookkeeping?" Ratbat paused again and his smile disappeared. His near scowl really made the scars on his face stand out. "Keep in mind that anyone who lies will not live to see the light of another day. We will know who you are."

Reluctantly, several hands slowly went up. It seemed that the threat of death was much more rattling to their nerves rather than the idea of hard labor. Ratbat smiled and looked up at Alpha Trion. "Take your pick." he said.

Soundwave turned his attention to the humans and displayed a holographic roster from his wrist. "If you hear your name, step forward!"

There were several long, tense minutes as Alpha Trion gestured to each human who he felt suited his needs. Soundwave called their names every time Alpha Trion gestured to them. Once he was satisfied with the number of humans, he gestured for them to follow.

"Come with me," he told them.

As the pair of elder Cybertronians began to depart with the humans, Shockwave appeared from a storage room with Mearing, carrying a few tubes in his hands and a jar of red liquid. He gave Alpha Trion a particularly unfriendly look and their shoulders connected roughly in a brushing gesture. Sentinel caught this and paused, scowling after Shockwave.

"I'm going to pretend that action was an accident, Shockwave," he said, lowly.

Shockwave paused and turned halfway. "And I will pretend that it wasn't." he answered, somewhat bitingly.

Sentinel chuckled darkly, unimpressed with the disrespect. "As a scientist who flaunts his actions based purely on logic; you should really apply this manner of thought to selecting your words a bit more precisely when you speak to your superiors."

"Perhaps this is advise you yourself should live by...Prime." Shockwave answered; his words were never raised, nor were they out of tone, but they carried something more than just a simple threat concealed behind them. He departed then with his supplies without looking back at the Autobot Prime.

Alpha Trion frowned at Sentinel. "He seems unhappy, that one."

Sentinel snorted gruffly and turned. "He'll be fine," he snapped, "He's just got a bit of an attitude problem as always. Just keep your distance from him and you'll have nothing to worry about."

_That is where you are wrong, Prime, _Shockwave thought, catching the conversation as he disappeared down the hall, _You should always be worried. VERY worried..._

O

The Driller was much more active.

Shockwave held up a slender, glowing rod and moved it slowly back and forth in front of the great beast, clicking bits of Cybertronian to it. It slowly moved back and forth, watching the glowing object with a low, metallic hiss. Its body seemed to quiver in pain while it remained attached to thick cords that led across the floor to a life support system. Mearing couldn't resist her fascination as she observed the massive thing face Shockwave and obey his every command. She felt terrified and fascinated all at once.

"It's amazing..." she whispered.

For once, Shockwave offered no rebuttal against her observation as he often did before. Instead, he remained silent before snapping his fingers and hissing another command. At that, the Driller slowly folded itself up with a final sigh-like sound. As he offered the glowing stick to the creature, Megatron appeared in the doorway of his lab.

"Shockwave, what is the status on your pet?" he asked.

Shockwave turned halfway. "It has a long way to go yet, but its strength has returned since I pulled it from the rubble on Earth."

Megatron walked up and smiled, studying the Driller. "It certainly has come far," he said. He glanced at the other Cybertronian, silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Something is on your mind, Shockwave. Speak whatever you must."

Shockwave shook his head. Mearing could sense a razor's edge to his tone now. "That would most certainly not be a wise thing to do..."

"Speak Shockwave," Megatron said.

The Decepticon scientist stood silently before he finally spoke. "We have fought countless battles against them," he told him, "The Decepticon creed stood for something and every waking cycle of my life, I watch in shame as all of it is betrayed."

Megatron chuckled softly. "Sentinel is just an Autobot," he told him, "And he-"

"All the greater the insult." Shockwave interrupted, his single optic darkening.

The air was tense between them and they stood silently once more.

"Where do you feel we went wrong?" Megatron asked, his tone slowly darkening; he seemed to slowly grow irritated with Shockwave's duress, "The plan was to save Cybertron, wasn't it? If I recall correctly, you were for it."

Shockwave spread his mandibles slightly with a hiss. "I didn't know that you had schemed with the enemy. Even worse, a Prime."

Megatron scowled now. "So you are saying that my plan, my greatest triumph was an act of failure?"

"I am saying that your plan was an act of weakness."

"Weakness nothing!" Megatron shouted now with a broad sweep of his hand, "Cybertron is safe! Our home is alive once more and soon, it will flourish as it once had! Everyone is content with the way things are! The only one who doesn't seem satisfied with it is you!"

Shockwave turned completely to face him. "I did not request a thing Megatron; I have slain Autobots and their wretched spawn without so much as a second thought. Now what role do _I_ play in this so-called 'peace'? What do I do to ease the time then?"

Megatron frowned, shaking his head. "It is clear to me that you have yet to understand what we-"

Shockwave looked sharply at him. "Understand what?" he snapped, "The betrayal? All of the work, the shed Energon, the training, the lies? What was it that I have _yet _to understand? What was it all for? To have myself play servant to the whims of a Prime while you make your own plans?"

Megatron's optics narrowed and his sharp teeth gnashed together. He wasn't thrilled with Shockwave's tone, and even more, his lack of appreciation for what he had gone through to get his Decepticons this far to freedom. "Do not forget who it is you address, Shockwave."

"Forgive me, Lord Megatron," Shockwave said, the biting tone still there in his voice.

Megatron turned to go, but paused and looked over his shoulder to Shockwave. "You'll come to appreciate what I have done eventually, Shockwave."

Then, he was gone.


	6. P5

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had suceeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read it and review.

"_Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Five**

_Iacon City_

"Simfur?"

"No problems reported. Productivity increased ten percent."

"Good. What of Kaon?"

"Minor casualties, three executions. Productivity down two percent."

"And Vos?"

"Productivity increased by six percent. No casualties or executions to report."

Sentinel and Megatron were standing together, overlooking the construction site while Soundwave read to them his report on the construction of the neighboring cities and towns. Overall, both seemed pleased with the report.

"And what of Iacon?" Sentinel asked.

Soundwave scrolled through the holographic display. "Productivity is up fifteen percent," he said, "No casualties to report."

Sentinel smiled, pleased. "Good. Today will no doubt be a good day."

The Autobot Prime eventually moved toward the construction zone to view productivity. The humans working were aware of his presence and knew that this meant he was seeking out any slackers. If he believed that anyone was slow, they would be dead without a moment's hesitation. So they put forth the effort to work quickly and efficiently. There was a teenage boy working near some rubble, separating pieces of metal; from pieces that were good or too damaged to be of any use. Sentinel appeared to zero in on the boy and step forward.

The boy sensed him approaching and attempted to hide his panic and work faster; he was aware that others had been killed for much less. The worker was almost shaking and Sentinel could see it; he was so terrified of the violent reprisal he expected to receive.

"S-Sorry sir," he stammered, "I almost have the pieces separated. I'll be moving soon."

Sentinel smiled pleasantly. "Oh, that's all right," he said.

The boy attempted to hide his hopeless confusion and not pause in his work as Sentinel walked away to continue his observations of his kindgom. He attempted to consider Alpha Trion's words and regard them with the merciful look of a God as he had said, but it appeared that no matter what he did or said, he was rewarded with sloth. No one was working any faster than they were supposed to and it was yielding no satisfaction for him.

All he felt was foolish.

O

Carly grumbled miserably as she was kneeling in several feel of cleaner and soap. She worked madly to finish her work of scrubbing Megatron's throne room just as the Decepticon warlord stepped in. He analyzed the work finished with a smirk. Behind him was a large black and red jet that she was familiar with as Mindwipe; he usually took charge of the teachings of the hatchlings and she even knew that he placed the human children and fighters in the gladiatorial arena under his hypnotic spell. He had long teeth and jagged claws with several spikes on the knuckles. He had devil-like horns on his helm and glowing multiple optics including one on his forehead that acted as a "third eye". Of all the Decepticons, he wasn't the most violent, but that didn't make him any more pleasant to be around.

"Ah. Slave. Have you cleaned this entire room by yourself?" Megatron asked.

Carly nodded. "Yes."

Mindwipe smiled broadly. "Ah, she's a hard worker, your pet," he told the warlord, "Maybe we could put her to better use at the Dome."

Megatron snorted and waved him off. "You do not require more slaves, Mindwipe," he snapped, "Now perhaps you should make something of yourself before I decide that I no longer require your services."

Mindwipe sighed dramatically. "Aww, you wound me, great leader."

The Decepticon hypnotist laughed good-naturedly and Megatron moved passed Carly, taking a spot in his throne. He smiled, pleased with the cleanliness of his throne room. After all, a leader's place of rule had to appear to be presentable.

Carly placed her cleaning tools on a cart and moved them aside.

"There has been tension among my servant, Shockwave," Megatron mused, "He believes Sentinel may very well turn on me. No Autobot is that foolish. Not when there are more Decepticons than Autobots. Certainly not when Cybertron has returned to its former glory."

Mindwipe shook his head. "I never did like Sentinel," he said, "Not a flare for the dramatic as I."

Megatron glared at him.

Mindwipe smiled uneasily at the stare. "Oh, but it works well for you, Lord Megatron."

"What say you then, slave?" Megatron asked Carly, ignoring the hypnotist.

Carly was familiar with Megatron's behavior after these years had passed as his servant; Megatron never accepted the opinions of humankind, no matter who or what they were. Carly just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"I can't say," she said, with a small smile on her face, "A slave is not her own master."

Megatron was pleased with the response. Obviously, that had been the acknowledgement he had expected from her. "Well spoken. Now off with you."

Mindwipe departed from the throne room with a small bow to the Decepticon leader before Carly followed him. "Mindwipe?" she said.

He smiled down at her, a sort of mocking smirk. "What is it, little slave?"

"Do you know a little child named Tasha Jones?" Carly asked.

Mindwipe furrowed his brows before chuckling. "I don't memorize the names of the animals, slave," he sneered. "But I do have the first batch recorded in my database." His metallic brow ridges went up. "Why would you want to know about that?"

Carly pretended to feign nonchalance. "I'm just curious, that's all. Just someone I might know."

Mindwipe smirked and reached up, tapping his arm. A holographic display of names scrolled down. "Could be cute for a laugh!" he sneered. Once he pulled up the name, he chuckled. "Ahh, seems like your little human spawn was one of the few who tried to escape." The hologram disappeared and Mindwipe laughed. "I remember that now. They were crying about wanting to see their parents, so they tried to run. Well, we all know how stupid that is, now don't we?"

Carly felt her heart sinking. What was she going to tell Kai?

"Oh," she said, quietly. Not willing to let Mindwipe have any form of satisfaction from her, she just chuckled and pretended to not be bothered by it. "Well, I guess that happens, huh?"

Mindwipe laughed cruelly and turned, walking away. He must have known anyway given the reaction.

Carly stood there for the longest time, sick to her stomach. She slowly made her way toward the shipping room where she knew Kai was and stepped inside. There were many people hard at work preparing shipments of fuel for the other cities as well as documents for the human barrack workers. Several Decepticons watched them from a balcony overhead and a few that resembled felines moving through the rows of workers.

Carly spotted Kai pushing a cart. The two women met gazed and Kai grinned, eagerly rushing up to her.

"Carly! How's it going?" she asked, "Did you hear about Tasha?"

Carly smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"How is she?" Kai asked, still smiling, "Is she behaving?"

Carly wavered somewhat and attempted to force an iron-clad calm. She met the woman's eyes and finally answered. "She didn't survive."

Kai's smile slowly drained from her face and her lips parted in shock.

"What?" she said. It was so soft, it was barely heard.

"I spoke with Mindwipe," Carly explained in a quiet piteous voice. She attempted to ignore the Decepticon felines who appeared to have stopped, interested in the lack of productivity from them, "He told me that there were a few children who tried to escape the Dome and Tasha was one of them."

Kai appeared to struggle to comprehend this. "Wait. I'm sorry, I don't understand," she stammered, her eyes filling, "A what?" She tried to keep her eyes from shedding any tears. "I'm sorry, I don't think I-What? What did you say?"

Carly shook her head. "I'm sorry..." she said, softly.

One of the metal cats snarled warningly at Kai and she quickly attempted to return to her duties. Carly followed her and as soon as Kai started separating boxes, she eventually stopped long enough to sob uncontrollably and sink to the floor, moaning "Oh God" over and over again. Carly gasped and bent down, attempting to pull the grieving mother back to her feet. The other workers tried to ignore what was going on and continue with their work, hoping that they would not be next.

Two Decepticons on the balcony leveled their weapons at Kai, shouting furious words in Cybertronian. "Get up!" they screeched, "Back to work!"

Carly forced Kai to her feet, which was a bit difficult given the woman's size. "Kai, come on!" she whispered fiercely, glancing warily up at the Decepticons with their deadly weapons trained on them, "They'll shoot you! Get up!"

The Decepticon felines snarled and snapped their teeth at Kai and Carly and she winced, struggling to force Kai to her feet. She waved at them at the watching guards overhead. "She's getting back to work!" she shouted, "She's working!"

Finally, the threat seemed to die down and Kai returned to separating boxes, tears streaked down her face. It was a sight that would haunt Carly until the day she died. With how things were going, maybe that would be long.

O

Astrotrain pulled up into Iacon's Courtyard. His side doors opened and several frightened, tattered humans stepped out. Waiting was Ratbat and Soundwave as well as the Decepticon who branded them for their duties and two thin Decepticons with electrical prods in their hands. Once the humans were out of Astrotrain, he growled angrily and transformed to his robot mode; he was blue with black piping around his body and face and he had long claws.

"That's it, that's it," he snapped, "I'm fragging mad as Pit!"

Ratbat sighed impatiently as the humans lined themselves up. "What are you complaining about this time?" he said.

"I'm not picking up any more of these little dirty meat bags!" Astrotrain spat. He made crawling gestures with his fingers. "You have it easy up here! I have them stuffed inside of me, crawling, squirming like parasites! It's disgusting!"

"Do you want to tell Megatron that you won't be digging them up anymore?" Ratbat asked, raising his brow ridges skeptically.

Astrotrain snorted; he wasn't THAT stupid. "No!" he snapped, "But I would like to get cleaned up if that's okay with you!"

Sentinel approached and spotted the humans with a disgusted snort. "Where did you find them?" he asked, looking at Astrotrain.

"Hiding out in the Sonic Canyons," Astrotrain told him, shrugging.

Sentinel looked down at Ratbat. "Shoot them." he ordered.

It was difficult to tell which was more stunned by the order; the humans, Ratbat or Astrotrain. They stared at the Autobot leader in disbelief. Sentinel scowled at them and then looked down at Ratbat with a shrug.

"We do not give second chances," he said, "If they choose to die, let them die here as a warning to the others what would happen if any of them try to escape."

Ratbat sighed and shook his head, pointing his weapon at each human, shooting them in the head. Each and every one of them crumbled to the ground in puddles of blood. Astrotrain threw his hands up into the air with a disbelieving snort.

"Come on!" he snapped, "Do you have any idea how long it took for me to dig them up? At least three groons! Three groons! And they're like cockroaches when my lights hit them! They scatter like crazy!" He scowled at Ratbat. "Thanks a lot! That was worth my time!"

Sentinel turned to Astrotrain with an impatient glare. "Is there a problem with how I run things, Astrotrain?" he warned.

"Not at all," Astrotrain said, bringing himself to a mocking interpretation of a human salute, "You're the best there is. Wouldn't be here without you, oh mighty _Prime_." When Sentinel departed, Astrotrain snorted coldly. "Piece of scrap traitor. I hope you get fragged in the aft someday."

Ratbat gestured to the two Decepticons with prods. "Gather their bodies and melt them down immediately," he commanded, "Before they start to stink up the place." He looked up at Astrotrain. "I do hope you find something constructive to do, Astrotrain."

"Remind me again why we take orders from a Prime?" Astrotrain growled.

Ratbat gave him an impatient look. "It is not our place to question Megatron's orders," he told him, "Remember that."

"That's just the thing, Ratbat," Astrotrain argued, "We're not obeying the orders of our leader at all! It's that fragger Sentinel Prime. He walks around like a pretty little bird flaunting his power about to us when it should be Megatron!"

"It IS Megatron."

Astrotrain scoffed and shook his head. "Come on, Ratbat; you're old as Pit, but not even _you're_ blind!" he snapped, "Megatron has about as much power as he did before the war. The only difference is that the times have changed and there's human rats running around all over the place." Staring at the impassive Decepticon for a few moments proved useless and Astrotrain waved him off. "Forget it. Stay here and ponder that for a while. I need to get cleaned up!"

Ratbat watched him go briefly before sighing. He looked around at how things were going and the work being done to improve Cybertron. Everything seemed to be going fine as it was. But then, he saw Sentinel among the crowds and his optics narrowed.

Something about Astrotrain's words echoed in the back of his mind.

O

Bumblebee was relieved.

Of course, it was only temporary, but to have even a minute of peace to rest was enough for him. Even in this dark, disgusting cell that he was placed in, never to see the light except to fight for the amusement of the Decepticons, he did find a moment to think about some joys he had once known before the fall of humankind and the Autobots.

A sound drew his attention to the doors. Sam peeked his head in and brightened when he saw Bumblebee.

Bumblebee gasped. "Sam, what are you doing?" he demanded, in a hushed whisper, "If they catch you, you're dead."

"That would probably be a blessing," Sam said, miserably, "Every day working for that asshole is like walking through hell."

Bumblebee shook his head. "Don't talk like that," he scolded, "You can't be blamed for all of this."

Sam snorted bitterly. "Look, it was my responsibility to try and stop him," he argued, leaning against the bars, "I should have been stronger, but I wasn't. Optimus is dead and you're in here rotting away because I wasn't strong enough."

"I don't blame you, Sam," Bumblebee told his friend, "You're my friend. You always will be. You didn't have to come sneaking in here to tell me that. I already know."

Sam sighed. "Sometimes we just have to hear it, that's all." Then, he gritted his teeth and turned, facing the yellow Autobot completely. "Goddammit! There has to be something I can do! They're going to kill you if this keeps up!"

Bumblebee shook his head. "No, Sam," he warned, "Don't do something foolish. Optimus would not have wanted you to die that way."

"We're going to die eventually!" Sam insisted, "It's only a matter of time!"

"Promise me you won't do anything to hasten that!" Bumblebee told the boy, "You have to live. Live for as long as you can!"

Sam laughed angrily. "Live?" he cried, "Do you honestly call this living?"

"You're alive, that is what matters," Bumblebee said, quietly, "It may not be the path we could have chosen, but it is a path that we must take and live with. Right now, you are alive. Don't waste it on me. I can handle myself."

"But-"

There was another sound and Bumblebee knew that it was Onslaught returning. "Slag, he's coming back." he whispered, "You have to go now Sam."

"Bumblebee..."

"GO NOW!" Bumblebee ordered, "Forget about me and survive!"

Sam quickly scrambled out of the cell moments before Onslaught stepped inside. He regarded Bumblebee with contempt. "Who were you talking to, Autobot?" he growled.

Sam remained hidden outside of the door, listening to the conversation.

"No one," Bumblebee said calmly.

"Liar!" Onslaught snarled, "I heard someone here!"

"Maybe you were hearing things."

Sam could hear Onslaught's furious hiss in response to the remark.

"Maybe I should remind you who you serve, bug!" Onslaught spat.

Then, Sam could hear the sounds of metal crashing against metal and the low grunts of pain from Bumblebee. He attempted to blot them out by covering his ears, but the vibrations of Onslaught beating the shit out of his friend could be felt through the door. The beating lasted for what seemed like forever before it finally let up and Sam pulled his hands away from his ears. Onslaught's cruel laugh filled the air from behind him.

"Let's see you drink oil through that new hole in your face, Autobot scrap!" he sneered.

Then, Sam could hear the sound of another arriving and the voice of Mindwipe piped up. "What are you doing?" he asked, "I said, what are you doing, Onslaught?"

"He wouldn't stop running his mouth!" Onslaught argued.

Mindwipe sighed. "Well you could have minded the mess. Primus, clean it up already before it soaks the floor."

"The scum has a few groons before the next fight," Onslaught laughed, moving to do what Mindwipe requested, "A good limp might be fun for show."

Mindwipe couldn't resist his laughter. "So cruel, Onslaught," he said, "Although I wish you would perform your services a little more diligently so you won't ruin my reputation the way you have no doubt ruined yours. Now move it!"

"Okay, okay," Onslaught muttered.

"I have animal offspring to attend to, after all," Mindwipe continued, "Ahh, an overseer's job is never done."

"I was going to say babysitter, but that works too."

The two shared an amused laugh. Sam couldn't bear to hear anymore, so he stood up to leave, but Mindwipe's next words froze him where he stood.

"There is tension among Megatron and the rest," Mindwipe said.

The sounds of a sloshing cleaning utensil filled the air. "What do you mean?" Onslaught asked.

"It's peace, I suppose," Mindwipe explained, "Shockwave's constantly at war with Sentinel, but they do it behind closed doors when they think no one is aware of it. I've seen the way he looks at the two Autobot elders, like he wants to tear out their spark chambers."

"That's how he is. He hates them." Onslaught paused and chuckled slightly. "Come to think of it, he hates everybody."

"Hatred was what spawned the war, Onslaught."

"I'm aware of that. I was there, remember?"

Mindwipe sighed. "I know Megatron has never steered us wrong before, but surely the alliance with Sentinel will end poorly."

"Keep talking like that and _you're_ the one who's going to end poorly."

A chuckle from Mindwipe was the only response the hypnotist offered. "Well, as fun as it's been conversing with my favorite lower life form, I must return to work."

"Buff me."

After a long time, Sam listened to the sound of Mindwipe departing. He waited until it was safe to go before sprinting across the courtyard. Mindwipe could see the sight of him disappearing back into the streets.

He smiled.


	7. P6

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had suceeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

"_Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Six**

_Iacon City_

Fate did lend a hand to Sam that morning.

He was fortunate to deliver drums of oil with the help of Carly to Simfur to Obsidian, one of Megatron's most lethal Generals- and a Decepticon triple-changer-who oversaw construction there. When Sam had arrived and delivered the oil successfully, he returned to Iacon and discovered his parents carrying bags of cement. Judy was stunned when she saw her son for so long in so many years. She dropped the bag and rushed up to Sam.

"Oh my God, it's my boy!" she cried.

Ron gasped and staggered toward his wife. "Judy, are you nuts?" he hissed, "They'll shoot us down if we stop working!"

Sure enough, Starscream was passing and spotted the sight. He laughed cruelly and walked up. That was when Ron grimaced and elbowed Judy, who wouldn't remove her arms from Sam. "How delightful," Starscream sneered, "The human finally sees his spawn parents again!"

Judy studied Sam's face and her eyes widened. "Your eye-WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR EYE?" she exclaimed.

"Mom, not a good time!" Sam whispered fiercely, looking up warily at Starscream.

Ron whispered sidelong to Judy. "Judy, do you want us shot?"

Starscream gestured with his foot, a threat to kick them if they did not move. "Get back to work!" he commanded.

Judy shook her head fiercely, pointing up at him. "No, I want to know what happened to my son's eye!" she shouted, drawing attention from the other workers. "What the hell did you do to him, you son of a bitch?"

Starscream's optics flashed. "What?" he snarled.

Ron laughed nervously, dropping his bag and holding up two hands to Starscream. "Lord Starscream, don't listen to her!" he pleaded, "She's...uh..." He grabbed Judy's wrists and gestured to his own head. "She might have taken a rock to the head." Ron tugged for her to follow him, despite her resistance. "Or I think I could contribute this act of insanity from all the day's work-not that we don't like it, I mean, we really enjoy doing it. But she's a little confused." He glared at his wife and hissed warningly through his teeth. "And doesn't know who's she's talking to."

Starscream scowled as they immediately gathered their bags of cement. Judy looked back at Sam with a desperate look before Ron pulled her away through the crowd of construction workers. Sam wanted to go to them after so long of worry, but Starscream gestured with a brief snort.

"Come on, I have more work for you!" he commanded.

_Of course you do... _Sam thought, still disgusted by what had just happened. He couldn't help but try to find his family through the crowd of workers, but they had already disappeared. He had hoped that maybe he could have had at least one more chance to speak to them. Just one.

_Right, like the asshole would ever give me a chance at that...Might as well get the idea out of your head now because it's never going to happen. _

And for the past several days, it didn't happen.

O

"Attention scum of Cybertron!"

The voice came from a very obnoxious mech known by all as Swindle. He was a brown and violet Cybertronian with violet optics and a plated smile almost the same as Barricade's, save for the jagged fangs. He was accompanied by another Cybertronian who stood taller than he was; he also had a thin, jagged body with spikes protruding from his neck, chin and arms. It appeared that he transformed into a type of car, but the only notable difference was instead of two hands, one of his hands ended in a long, dangerous hook.

"I have traveled stellar cycles to planets afar and have brought with me treasures of every shape and size!" Swindle announced, "My associate Lockdown will be so kind enough to show them to you, won't you?"

Lockdown looked briefly at Swindle with a gruff snort. "I'd better get payment for this..." His voice was dry and rough, practically ancient.

Behind them rested various crates filled with whatever Swindle spoke of. Megatron certainly seemed interested and Sentinel expressed vague interest. Shockwave was somewhat intrigued because Swindle had always brought forth interesting objects in the past. The others were there to witness what he had brought for them as well.

"Since everyone's been holding hands lately, business has been slow," Swindle murmured, "So I've had to resort to finding other ways of raking in a decent income."

"Really?" Sentinel questioned.

Swindle smiled at him and nodded. "For you, humble Autobot leader, I offer this container of what I like to call; Forever Burn!" he said, holding out a clear jar filled with golden fluid, "Place it onto anything and it'll burn for several days!"

Sentinel took the jar with a small smile. "Sounds promising," he mused, "I'll accept."

Once he offered Swindle fragments of the glittering red stone that Thundercracker had presented Megatron with, he walked away. Swindle turned his optics to the others and gestured with both arms. "Come on! Do I hear any more takers?" He gestured to Shockwave. "How about you, my ever favorite masochist? Is there anything you find yourself needing?" He quickly scrambled to a container and offered a case. "I have the finest tools for a lover of torture such as yourself."

Shockwave clicked his mandibles with displeasure. "I don't need any more tools."

"But what if yours break?" Swindle offered, with a smile, "Come on. You can never have too many working utensils!"

Shockwave pondered this and felt that it would be beneficial to have as many working tools at his disposal should something go wrong. With limited supplies already bearing down on him, perhaps it would be useful.

"What is your offer?" Shockwave asked.

Swindle smiled. "For you, how about five pieces?"

"Four." Shockwave snapped.

"Five."

"Four."

"I'm trying to make a living here and you're not helping me!"

Shockwave's optic flashed. "Four. Take it or I'll take it myself."

Swindle smiled nervously. "Okay, four it is." he said, offering the case to Shockwave.

Once the exchange was made, Shockwave walked away. Swindle shuddered and pursed his mouth plates with disdain and a bit of unease. "Whew, charming that one, isn't he?" he muttered, glancing sidelong to Lockdown.

O

Sentinel smiled, observing the construction.

"Behold, my friends," he said, gesturing to it, "The city that we had once known; once lived in before the war had destroyed it is nearing completion!"

Soundwave chuckled softly. "What do we do with the worms?" he asked him.

Sentinel shrugged his shoulders. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Soundwave," he told the Communications Officer, "Right now, inform them that their workload will be doubled. There will be no breaks, not when we're so close."

Soundwave nodded his head. "Of course."

Alpha Trion walked solemnly through the construction district of Iacon, making his way toward Sentinel; he began watching the beaten, sweat-covered organic slaves. Some of them pushed carts, carried bags of cement and others pulled on ropes. There was a loud crackling sound and Alpha Trion paused briefly to see its source; a Decepticon overseer prodded a slow working human with an electrical rod. The human barely grunted and started pushing his cart faster.

Alpha Trion gasped quietly, stepping out of the way as he narrowly missed crushing a few humans with his feet. One of the humans looked up at him with a miserable look before disappearing through the sea of workers.

"It's wrong..." he mumbled to himself, "It's all wrong."

The humans were not too sure what Alpha Trio was doing; he seemed lost to them. It went by noticed for a few who dared to pause in their work and stare at him with bizarre expressions on their faces. Lennox had paused in welding briefly to see as well.

"Humans, hear my voice!" he announced to them, "You are a strong, proud people. You do not deserve to live like this. One day, you will be free, I can promise you that..."

As he continued, several Decepticon overseers just laughed at the display, pointing and sneering in fragments of English and Cybertronian; it seemed to be more of a joke to them than a threat and they made no attempt to shut up the Autobot elder making a fool of himself. Epps was carving Cybertronian symbols in the metal before he paused and elbowed Lennox. The man frowned down at him and then looked back up at Alpha Trion.

"Look at that fool; what the hell does he think he's doing?" he muttered.

Lennox sighed, rolling his eyes. "Talking, it seems. But what does he think that's going to do? Everyone's scared shitless out here."

"Listen to me!" Alpha Trion continued, "Don't lose hope! We've been waiting for a long time for this, but wait a little longer. Wait and you will see-"

Suddenly, a loud, resounding blast pierced the air, like the intense booming of a thunderclap; it was enough to nearly shatter the eardrums of every human in the construction zone. At first, no one knew what it could have been, but then they saw it.

Alpha Trion was standing there, his optics wide and his mouth plates slightly parted in an expression of shock and clear pain. He stared down and noticed that an enormous, smoking hole had replaced where his chest once was. Searing hot blue sparks gushed like lava from his shattered spark and spilled at his feet. Humans stepped back, stunned and needless to say, so did the Decepticon overseers. The entire construction district had fallen silent in shock.

"I-I..." Alpha Trion gasped, fluid gushing from his mouth plates.

Finally, his body crumbled to the ground and was still. After a few moments, his optics flickered and went black. Groups of humans and Decepticons slowly looked toward the source of Alpha Trion's death.

Shockwave.

He was standing a few yards away, his right arm a smoking cannon. He slowly lowered it and his next words were barely audible except to Mearing who stood beside him, eyes wide in horror at the sight before her.

"Were you waiting for that, Autobot?" he said, softly, "Because it's all that you deserve."

Mearing shivered, standing there with her jaw hanging open. "You...killed him." she gasped.

The crowds looked down at the dead Alpha Trion and through them, Sentinel began to angrily push his way through. "Out of my way, out of my way!" he snapped, "Move! Let me through!" He gave a Decepticon overseer a final glare before bending down at the lifeless mass of his friend. His optics trembled briefly with pain before they hardened and he turned, glaring at the watchers with fury blazing in them. His words came out rigid and barely a whisper. "Who did this?" When he received no immediate response, he shouted it now. "WHO?"

Immediately, every hand around him pointed at Shockwave, murmuring "it was him" and "he did".

Sentinel's optics landed on Shockwave and he rose, approaching the Decepticon scientist. Those standing around Shockwave immediately parted, sensing that no good could come from this. Sentinel sized up the larger hulk, clearly not intimidated like the others.

"You shot him," he said, his voice rigid. "It could have been any human here and I wouldn't have thought twice, but you shot an Autobot Elder." His voice hardened now. "What harm had he done to deserve the death that you felt you had the right to bring down upon him?"

Shockwave tilted his head. His single optic nearly blazed. "He had attempted to create a riot among the human slaves, he got what he deserved."

"No one would be foolish enough to riot against us!"

Shockwave made a sound that almost sounded like a human snort. "Then by your own processed thoughts, it appears that I have killed the wrong fool," he said, calmly.

There were a collection of gasps around them as Shockwave pointed his cannon arm directly at Sentinel. The Autobot leader stared calmly down at the weapon before looking up at Shockwave. For the longest time, they stared each other down, seeing who would falter. It was clear that neither one of them would.

"Are you going to shoot me, Shockwave?" Sentinel asked, smiling with contempt, "After everything I've done and worked hard to give you?"

Shockwave proved his point that he had every intention of shooting the Primus-forsaken Prime by pushing back the lock of his cannon, loading it once more before aiming it at Sentinel's chest where his spark pulsed life.

"We'll manage without you as we have before," Shockwave said, "After all, it is only necessary to eliminate weak links for a society to regrow, is it not?"

Sentinel snarled, obviously infuriated beyond compare at the dismissal of his authority. "Weak link?" he spat, "I have exterminated the very thing that separated us and you wish to drive a bigger wedge in between our sides? By what? Killing me? Do you honestly believe that shooting me would make everything better?"

"Yes." Shockwave said, simply.

"You are a powerful asset to Cybertron, I will not deny that," Sentinel hissed, slowly pulling out his cannon; the very same one that he had killed Ironhide with, "But I will not stand here and allow myself to be dictated to or threatened before my subordinates!"

Then, there was a click and Sentinel felt something pressed against the back of his head. His optics widened and he glanced over his shoulder to see Megatron standing there, leveling his shotgun beneath the base of his helm. Megatron clearly looked disappointed with the display and gestured with his weapon.

"Shockwave, stand down," he ordered, "We will have none of that here. There will be no fighting amongst ourselves."

For once, Megatron sounded like the sane one and it stunned everyone there. Shockwave hesitated before he lowered his cannon somewhat, but still kept it level with Sentinel should the Prime be foolish enough to do something.

"I suggest you lower your weapon, Megatron," Sentinel warned, with venom in his voice, "Or we may have ourselves a problem."

Megatron smiled with contempt. "How delightful, Sentinel; you seem to confuse me with Prime," he said, with amusement in his voice, "He too was exceedingly arrogant and we witnessed the horrible end to that grim little tale now didn't we?"

Sentinel actually lowered his cannon with a snarl. "I am the authority here!"

"Oh?" Megatron said, the smile disappearing now, "I don't recall anyone ever casting their vote for you."

Sentinel stepped back enough to face Megatron entirely. "You forget what risk I took in ensuring the survival of our race!" he snapped, "I told you once before that I would never serve you and I will stay true to that word!"

"You have," Megatron said, nodding, "But to raise your weapon against one of my officers during this moment of silence amongst both of our sides... I don't think that Optimus would have ever been as foolish."

Just at that moment, Swindle stepped in and held out two hands. "Okay, we're all good friends here," he said, "Let's just take a deep intake cycle and relax before we end up shooting each other for a little misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Sentinel bellowed, "He's taken the life of a friend!"

Shockwave's chest seemed to swell and he took a menacing step forward. "So it is perfectly unacceptable for your fellow comrades to persish unless you're the one wielding the knife, am I right?"

Sentinel snarled, his metallic features contorting. His optics roved over the watching crowd for the longest time. He wanted to kill Shockwave so badly, he couldn't stand it and he knew that the feeling was mutual. But to strike out and make himself look like a savage before the primitive race at his feet? To fall victim to his own emotion would be a display of weakness itself. Sentinel had to show control and pride as a leader.

"I want his body disposed of properly!" he snapped, turning, "We will discuss this later."

Megatron smirked with contempt at Sentinel's display as the Autobot leader walked away. He turned to Shockwave and the Decepticon scientist nodded his head.

"You heard him, Lord Megatron," he said, "Let us give the fallen elder the burial that he so properly deserves."

O

Shockwave and Megatron stood before the bubbling smelting pots, the glow of the molten metal casting eerie shadows across their jagged faces. With a single kick of Megatron's foot, the body of Alpha Trion was cast into the pots. Standing beside them was Mearing and Carly, watching as the metallic corpse disappeared into the glowing pools.

"Sentinel would not be foolish to break the silence that has come between our kind," Megatron said.

Shockwave glanced briefly at him. "He has betrayed Optimus Prime," he pointed out, "There would be nothing stopping him from betraying you."

Megatron rumbled thoughtfully. "Yes, that much is clear," he said, "Sentinel has proven that he is willing to kill anyone, regardless of faction or creed."

"What should we do about that?" Shockwave asked.

"If Sentinel truly want to rule Cybertron, then we will see just how capable he is of doing so," Megatron said, smiling with malicious intent in his voice.

Shockwave looked at him. "What do you mean, Lord Megatron?"

Megatron cast his gaze to the smelting pit below. "Tomorrow, we will see who is fit to be the ruler of Cybertron..."

Shockwave seemed to comprehend this and nodded once. "Yes."

Finally, his master had understood what he had suspected from the beginning:

There could never be two leaders on Cybertron.


	8. P7

**Deus Machina**

**Disclaimer: **Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had suceeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

"_Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."_

-Og Mandino

_"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."_

-Simone de Beauvoir

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

_"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "_

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

**Part Seven**

_Iacon City_

Megatron observed the city that following morning with a smile of pride on his face. He could see Sentinel moving among the crowd of Decepticons and he pondered his course of action before turning to Shockwave.

"Let's begin." he said.

Meanwhile, Carly made her way into Dylan's office, anxious. "Dylan, I need to talk to you!" she said.

Dylan frowned up at her, tuned in to what he was watching on his monitors. "What is it?" he snapped, "I have my job to do and I can't be bothered."

"It's a little more important than staring at your precious screens," Carly told him, leaning over his desk, "Megatron's planning on challenging Sentinel to a fight."

Dylan shrugged his shoulders. "So?"

"So, that means that whoever wins, the loser ends up dead," Carly snapped, annoyed with his nonchalance, "That means whoever leads will determine our lives. I think for someone in such a 'high position', you'd be the most concerned."

"What do you mean?" Dylan looked somewhat worried now.

Carly rolled her eyes. "Come on, do you honestly believe that Sentinel's going to let you keep your little Queen-sized Hilton up here?" she said, "The only reason you're here is because of Megatron. Sentinel doesn't care." She backpedaled a bit. "Well, neither does Megatron but it seems that if we had to chose, I'd rather have him leading this than Sentinel. You've seen what he can do; he was willing to kill his own."

Dylan furrowed his brow and licked his lips. "And what do you think I should do about it?"

"I need to know where you stand, Dylan," Carly told him, "Because one way or another, you've got a target on your forehead. Everyone down there is bloody pissed at you for what you've done." She leaned forward and gestured to the screens, "I think it's time that you use your so-called power to start getting allies. Either way you look at it, we need to stay together."

Dylan gave her a dark look. She could see that he was considering what she was saying.

Then, the two looked back as Laserbeak glided effortlessly into the office. "Dylan, Megatron commands your presence," he hissed, "You are to be at the arena with the others once-" He cut himself off and looked over at Carly. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Carly smiled slightly. "I was uh, talking to Dylan about the fight." she lied.

Laserbeak squinted suspiciously at her. "Get moving," he snapped, "Megatron commands the presence of his slaves."

Carly nodded. "Of course."

And with that, she quickly hurried out of there.

O

Sentinel wasn't pleased when he arrived at the arena.

No, he was furious with Megatron's proclaimation to every working city on the planet, demanding a challenge of his authority. Though when Megatron had issued the challenge, every single optic and human eye was on him. If he refused, he would be seen as weak. Sentinel would certainly not have that placed upon him. When Megatron approached with Shockwave behind him, he scowled at the Decepticon warlord.

"Your intention is to fight me, Megatron?" he snapped, "This will prove nothing."

Megatron smirked and gestured to the watchers. "To them it will," he said, "It will prove who is truly fit to rule this planet."

Sentinel's optics appeared to grow darker before he nodded his head. "Very well. And what are the conditions of this fight?"

"We fight one-on-one," Megatron told him, "No weapons, no tricks. We fight as true warriors with only our own bodies. He who loses will either die or submit to the victor." A smirk touched his jagged face. "Any questions?"

Sentinel was silent, contemplating this. It seemed that he now fully comprehended the severity of what was about to happen. He nodded his head and Megatron gestured to his watching audience with a grin.

"Decepticons, today you will witness who your true leader is!" he declared.

Beside him stood Ratbat, stepping slowly away to join the others in the stands. He gave Megatron a side whisper. "Fight him, my lord," he said, "You are the true ruler of Cyberton. Sentinel Prime is nothing."

Megatron chuckled lowly. "Yes."

Carly and Sam watched the scene from the stands. Lennox and Epps eventually joined them along with Hardcore Eddie and Sam's parents. Dutch and Simmons eventually joined them as well as Leo Spitz and long after that, Mikaela Banes.

Sam looked surprised to see her. "Mikaela?"

She smiled with embarrassment. "Hey..."

Leo laughed. "Well, this is incredibly awkward."

There was a mixture of shared laughter, but clearly Mikaela wasn't too thrilled with the position that she was in. She glared down at Wheelie and Brains and gave them taps with her feet, knocking them off of their seats.

"Ow, damn," Wheelie snapped, "You got an attitude problem."

Epps gave them a skeptical look before he sighed, turning his attention back to the battle about to commence between the two leaders. "So what do you think, man?" he asked, glancing up at Sam, "Think it might be close?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It might."

"Megatron's no punk, though," Epps said, "But that Sentinel's a dirty bastard, straight up. You saw what he did to Ironhide back at NEST. He might try to pull some funny shit with him. I just hope he sees it coming."

Carly nodded her head. "Megatron's not an idiot. He already suspects something."

The combatants walked apart from one another, depositing their weapons where Onslaught gathered them up. Sentinel clenched his fists tightly and gestured for Onslaught to leave.

"Get out of the way, fool," he ordered.

Onslaught gave a mock salute. "Yes master," he sneered, in a mocking falsetto as he departed, "As you command, master."

Sentinel gave him a dark look as he disappeared out of the arena. Then, he turned his attention to Megatron and clenched his fists with a low growl. The warlord chuckled darkly and dragged his claws across the wall beside him, sending a hot shower of sparks dropping at his feet. Both combatants faced off one another before Megatron charged with a roar. Sentinel charged him and their bodies collided with a heavy sound. The horrible noise of metal clashing with metal made Carly and Sam visibly wince.

The Decepticons stood up from their seats and began to roar their approval, chanting in Cybertronian and English; they were thirsty to see shed Energon in this fight. The only ones not reacting were the humans and Silverbolt as well as Sideswipe. They looked at one another, uncertain.

Megatron's fist smashed into Sentinel's jaw, the spiked knuckles chipping away bits of his red armor around his face. Sentinel gave a snarl and drove his fist at Megatron's face. The warlord grabbed Sentinel's wrist and twisted, but Sentinel countered with a move of his own; he kicked his leg out, sending Megatron falling backwards. The warlord grabbed Sentinel by the throat with one clawed hand as he fell and rolled.

It was savage the way they fought one another, cursing in furious Cybertronian; Megatron slashing at Sentinel's face with his dangerous claws. They disengaged and paced around each other before lunging again.

"Shit!" Epps exclaimed.

Sam looked at Carly. "Think Megatron can beat him?"

Carly didn't answer. She was entirely too tuned into the battle.

Sentinel staggered back from Megatron, glaring at him. "I should have finished you when I had the chance!" he spat.

"Just like you finished Prime?" Megatron sneered.

Sentinel hissed with fury. Behind his back, he was opening the container of fluid that he had purchased from Swindle and pouring some of its contents on his fist. "You think you're above the rest, don't you, Megatron?" he said, his face revealing nothing, "You think that your servos are unstained?"

"Spare me your self-righteous hypocritical speech, Sentinel," Megatron hissed, clenching his fist.

He lunged at Sentinel, but the elder immediately ducked and coldly smirked, driving his fist now engulfed in flame directly into Megatron's optics. The Decepticon warlord staggered back and everyone in the stands reacted with shock.

"That's cheating!" Carly cried, looking at Sam in disbelief.

Megatron staggered back and wiped at his optics. His face had been partially singed from the blow and for a second, he couldn't see. That was when Sentinel took the chance; he lunged at Megatron, slamming his weight into his abdomen. Sentinel appeared to have the upper hand until Megatron pressed his feet into his abdomen and shoved, pushing the Autobot elder off of him. The move slashed several parts of Sentinel's chest and ripped tubes, sending them clattering to the ground.

Sentinel stared down at the wounds in his body and chuckled sardonically. "Is that all you have to offer me, mighty Decepticon leader?" he sneered.

Megatron rolled to his feet and smirked with equal contempt. "You would have made a fine Decepticon, Sentinel Prime," he told him, "Now all of Cybertron will see that this is the only way you can defeat me."

That seemed to enrage Sentinel because he gave a furious snarl and charged. "I have enough skill to destroy you!"

Megatron's claws sank deep into Sentinel's shoulder and ripped the Energon lines connecting to his affronting arm that he had used to burn Megatron's face. Sentinel howled in pain, but clenched his derma plates together and delivered blow after blow to Megatron's face until he let go. Though as he did, he wrenched Sentinel's arm to one side in a move that made every human shift in their seats at the horrible grinding noise.

The Decepticons watching had become a chorus of Energon-thirsty demons, screaming for more, screaming to see more pain and suffering.

"Tear him apart!" Barricade snarled, from the stands.

Sentinel staggered back and stared down at his useless limb as it oozed red Energon from the ruptured tubes. There was nothing he could do to use it now. It was useless to him. For the moment, he felt that it may have been a terrible act of fate that it would happen after he had torn Optimus' arm off on Earth.

Then, there was a sound gradually rising from the stands. A noise that resembled a roar from the humans that Sentinel could make out forming a single, terrible chant.

"MEGATRON!" the humans bellowed, chanting, "MEGATRON!"

Megatron smirked at them before looking at the furious, yet slightly uneasy Sentinel. "Well, it appears that the humans have made their decision," he hissed, raising his Energon-stained claws. "You are alone, without allies whom you've killed. Do you surrender?"

Sentinel rebuked him with a fierce hiss. "I will never surrender to the likes of a Decepticon!" he spat, "I have my pride!"

Megatron laughed heartily; the concept was amusing given his condition. "Really? You have your pride?" he sneered, "I cannot help but think that it's all but drained out of you with that useless arm of yours dripping Energon."

"Keep talking, Megatron," Sentinel hissed, with defiance as he paced around him, "I will fight to my last intake!"

Megatron chuckled. "Very well."

He charged this time and Sentinel attempted to swing with his last good limb, but Megatron was easily able to grab that and twist. He then seized Sentinel by the throat and forced him to his knees. Sentinel snarled with fury and Energon oozed from his mouth plates. Megatron watched him with an amused, but grave look all at once before looking up at the watchers. He raised his voice, powerful and commanding.

"DECEPTICONS!" he shouted, "WHO IS YOUR LEADER?"

The watchers chanted his name over and over again to which Sentinel shut his optics gravely at the sound. Megatron looked down at him with a cold snort of contempt.

"You were a deluded fool from the beginning, Sentinel," he said, "And still you rest, just as arrogant as I remember the day you came to me."

Sentinel choked through his filling intakes.

"You of all of us should know that leadership cannot simply be handed to you," Megatron told him, "You must take it by force." He watched Sentinel struggle for the longest time and smirked. "What will it be? Live or die?"

Sentinel's optics burned with fury and hate. "Die!"

Megatron tsked and shook his head. "I'm afraid I won't let it be so simple for you."

Sentinel's forehead seemed to furrow in a human gesture of confusion. Behind him, a large, towering shadow fell over the entire arena. He glanced up at the sight of the spectators watching grow suddenly silent. Sentinel looked over his shoulder slowly and his optics grew wide in horror.

The Driller was towering over the arena, completely repaired and body undulating above him. The blades of its mouth spun wildly like many sawblades. Then, as soon as it lunged, Sentinel let out a loud scream.

O

The work on Cybertron resumed its normal pace.

Nothing was better of course, but things didn't seem quite as tense anymore among the higher authorities.

Megatron surveyed from his throne room with a small smile before he rose and stepped out to the courtyards where Soundwave was standing, keeping watch over the construction. He turned to his Communication's Officer with an inquiring look.

"What is the status of Iacon?" he asked.

Soundwave raised his arm, displaying holographic data. "Productivity is up fourty percent," he told him, "No executions to report."

"Excellent," Megatron said, "It appears that Shockwave was correct; all we had to do was eliminate a...weak link."

"The humans appear to be working harder as well," Soundwave said.

Megatron turned. "I must pay Shockwave a visit," he told him, "Keep watch while I'm gone."

"Of course, Lord Megatron."

Megatron walked away with Carly eventually joining him. He glanced down at her. "What do you have to report?" he asked.

Carly was holding a clipboard in her hands. "The hatchlings are developing at a normal rate," she told him, "Ratbat says that the new formula is keeping them alive. He doesn't have to resort to rationing any longer."

"Excellent."

Carly tilted her head as she followed him. "Master, if I may..." she began.

"Go on." Megatron said, with a regal wave of his hand.

"This might just be me, but do you believe that the problems we've had might have had something to do with Sentinel's...leadership problems?" she asked.

Megatron chuckled. "Delusions of grandeur, maybe, but I could hardly put all the blame on one fool," he told her, stepping toward Shockwave's laboratory doors, "After all, I don't see how he would deserve all the credit. Many problems came from poor judgement, inadequate communication and inferior labor motives."

Carly laughed slightly. "I see."

Shockwave had his back to them when they stepped inside. He turned and gave Megatron a bow of his head.

"Shockwave, have you enjoyed the offering?" Megatron asked him.

"Offering?" Shockwave questioned. When he understood, he nodded and gestured to Mearing. "Here, now."

Mearing was crawling her way through rubbery joint sensors and foam insulation to check for tears or imperfections when she immediately moved from the pile with bits of it stuck to her. She presented herself before Shockwave and bowed her head.

"Yes, Lord Shockwave?"

He gestured behind him. "Remove the joint sensors and place them into that container," he ordered.

She nodded and went to work to do as he demanded.

Megatron chuckled softly and gave Shockwave a knowing look. "Leftovers, I assume?"

Shockwave turned and looked somewhere in the shadows. "There is no reason for parts to go to waste, is there?"

"No. I don't believe there is. What became of him, if I may ask?"

Shockwave gestured to the shadows where he had looked and Megatron spotted it instantly. A smirk touched his features and he looked down at a surprised Carly who had seen the exact same thing. He chuckled and turned to Shockwave.

"I admire your ferocity, Shockwave," he said, "And your ability to be creative with your methods of torture."

Shockwave seemed impassive to the compliment. "Thank you, Lord Megatron," he replied, "The fool screamed more than I believed was possible. I'll admit, the sounds of his suffering were quite relishing. It was such a shame when he gave up so quickly. I truly had more to offer him."

The metallic corpse of Sentinel Prime was strung up on the wall with razor wire, spread out in what Carly could guess was a cruel parody of the crucifixion. His optics had been ripped out and his face lacerated beyond recognition, frozen open in an eternal scream. His torso was carved open and ribbons of wire dangled horribly through the open wounds. One of his legs appeared to be ripped off and barely hung from wires.

Megatron smiled.

Sentinel believed that he would die and take over his rightful place as the ruler of Cybertron. Now he was nothing but crucified remains hanging from the wall of Shockwave's laboratory. There was only one ruler fit for Cybertron.

_And that ruler is me._

_All hail Megatron._

THE END


End file.
